As Long As You Love Me
by Cielita
Summary: The "Waiting for the Day" Series. This project was one that I wrote from 3 Heliopolis Challenges. The team meets Hammonds niece and she joins the team.
1. As Long As You Love Me

As Long as You Love Me  
  
Part 1 of the "Waiting for the Day" Series  
  
By: Cielita  
  
7-11-01 Title: "As Long As You Love Me" Part 1 in the Waiting for the Day series. Author: Little Heaven E-mail: cielita2689@aol.com (feedback is more than appreciated. Comments and Constructive Criticism only please. Any nasty things will be deleted.) Status: complete Categories: Action-Adventure/Romance Pairings: Daniel/Other, Sam/Martouf established, Jack/Freya beginnings Spoilers: Sequel: Waiting for the Day Series, Part 2, "Glory of Love" Rating: approximately R considering some of the more interesting behavior characteristics of Jack and Freya. Content Warnings: AU, mushy stuff, My first SG-1 Mary Sue! Series Answers challenges 911, 867, and 1021 Disclaimer: You know the drill-I don't own any of the characters, settings, or any identifiable object having to do with SG-1 EXCEPT Danielle. She's my character. Big, wet, sloppy kisses to the Backstreet Boys for their lovely song that I used for the title!  
  
Challenge #911  
  
I would like to see a story where a new member joins SG-1. Must be female and must be like Daniel in most ways. Must fall in love with Daniel and her name must be Dani. Everyone whumping, must be lengthy. Have fun! Submitted by Emma Challenge #867  
  
I'd like to see a story exploring the relationship between Sam and Martouf (yes I know he's dead but indulge me!!!). It doesn't have to get mushy if you don't want it to but please don't turn it into another S/J romance story (not that I don't like the idea but I think there are enough floating round). Have fun.... Submitted by Denara Q Challenge #1,021  
  
Okay, Jack gets really bored during one of the more "scientific" missions and ends up teaching the natives hockey. Good luck. Submitted by Sandman  
  
"SG-1, I want you to meet Danielle. She will be joining your team effective immediately." General Hammond said, looking each of the members of SG-1 in the eye.  
"With all due respect, General, we already have one civilian on our team. Do we need another?" Colonel O'Neill asked.  
"I have been asked to join SG-1 at the General's personal request. It is an honor to get the chance to serve with you, Colonel." Danielle replied in her own defense.  
"What did you say your occupation was?" Daniel asked, his blue eyes narrowing into curious slits.  
"I am an archaeologist and linguist. I am also a sketch artist. I thought that."  
"Once again, General, is any of this sounding a little familiar?" Jack said, interrupting her. "Look, lady, it's great that you came all this way to join the team but four is the limit."  
General Hammond was about to reprimand him when Danielle rescued herself.  
"Are you always this rude to total strangers or is this just a mood of yours?" she commented, getting rather close to Jack's face. Not being in the military, she could not be charged with insubordination. Daniel and Sam smiled, and Teal'c raised an amused eyebrow. Danielle, who preferred to be called Dani, would fit in perfectly; she already knew how to tell off her CO.  
SG-1's first mission with its new member was scheduled for the next day, so the team had the rest of the time to get to know their new friend. Daniel had the fortune to find her first.  
"I couldn't help but notice that your job description sounds a lot like mine." He said as the two walked into Daniel's office.  
"Yes. I have read your file. It is also fascinating to note that we have generally the same name." Dani said.  
"Um, yeah, and you don't come from around here, do you?" Daniel said.  
"That is true. I was born here on Earth, but have lived off-world with several different cultures much of my life." She explained.  
"Like which ones?" Daniel asked, curious as to how she got off world without their knowledge of her before.  
"I know what you must be thinking. I have been part of the Stargate program for years. I earned my archaeology and linguistics degrees here on Earth, and then studied with the Tollan and the Nox. But, for the past few years, I have lived on Abydos." She said.  
Abydos. Bells and whistles went off in Daniel's head.  
"You lived on Abydos?" Daniel said.  
"Yes. I knew of your family and what happened to Shau'ri and Skaara. I am afraid there was not much that could have been done for either of them. I cannot imagine what this is doing to Shau'ri." Dani babbled, turning from Daniel to keep him from seeing her emotions. She didn't know.  
  
"Um, Dani? Shau'ri died last year." Daniel said gently. Dani whirled to face him.  
"So it is true? Shau'ri is gone?" Dani asked. Daniel nodded. She took a deep breath and asked, "And what of Skaara?"  
"Skaara got lucky. The Tollan, as you may know, have a way of separating host from symbiote without killing the host. We were able to get to him in time to save him." Daniel said. Dani's tears caught him off guard. Her eyes shimmered when she was happy.  
"Will we see him again?" she asked.  
"I'll see what I can do." Daniel said, smiling. It was nice to have a connection to Abydos again.  
Later on, it was Sam's turn. She and Dani talked for hours. She was familiar with the Tok'ra, but had never really met one. She was very skeptical about the co-habitation of the Tok'ra symbiotes, but was willing to be open minded. Dani discovered that wormhole physics and naquada were best left to Sam, and Sam introduced her to Dr. Fraiser.  
Teal'c had been, in general, very quiet about Dani. She told General Hammond that their first conversation had been 'productive' but nothing more. She was familiar with Chulak but had never been there.  
General Hammond watched in amusement as Dani timidly knocked on Colonel O'Neill's office door. He watched as Jack refused to come out and eventually, Dani gave up and retreated to the General's office.  
"General, this isn't working out." Dani said. "How can I become a functioning part of this team when my CO won't talk to me?" General Hammond chuckled.  
"It's going to be just fine. Jack will get used to you it's just a  
matter of time." "We don't have time. Our first mission as a team is  
tomorrow." Dani said, getting serious. General Hammond patted her on  
the back.  
"It's going to be fine, I promise."  
The next day, the team showed up in the gate room, right on time, ready to disembark on their first mission. Jack still was not too happy about having Dani tag along, but she, just like Daniel, was excited at the prospect of a new planet.  
"SG-1, you have a go." Came General Hammonds voice. The five stepped up and went through the stone portal, stepping easily out through the other side. Once on the new planet, Dani stared in wonder. She spotted some ruins near the gate and recognized the carvings on them.  
Daniel and Dani looked at one another and Jack rolled his eyes.  
"Okay, campers, here's the deal: Daniel and Dani, decipher the ruins, Sam take your readings and Teal'c.look busy." Jack called out. As his teammates scattered, Jack's gaze wandered to what looked like a nearby village. It was winter on this world, though not very cold. There was snow and ice on the ground, but none falling. The sky was a flawless blue and two moons were perfectly visible with the naked eye. Jack began to think to himself all the things he could be doing back home. Considering the weather, the words 'ice hockey' came to mind.  
Daniel finished the etching he was making of one section of the altar and turned to see Dani, feeling rather short, trying desperately to see one of the higher sections of the keystone in front of her. Smiling, Daniel walked over and hoisted her petite frame up onto his shoulder.  
"Dr. Jackson!" Dani cried, "You startled me!"  
"Is that better?" Daniel quipped.  
"Yes." Dani said, turning to concentrate on the ancient writing. There had been something in Daniel's gaze that Dani hadn't seen there before; something that made her spine tingle.  
Meanwhile, Sam and Teal'c were a few feet away.  
"They seem to be getting along quite well, don't you think, Teal'c?" said Sam.  
"Indeed Major Carter. She will be an asset to the team." Teal'c replied.  
"You mean an asset to Daniel." Teased Sam.  
"What are you insinuating, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked, his eyebrow cocked in curiosity.  
"Nothing. It's just that she makes a good addition to the team because she knows more about cultures that Daniel isn't as familiar with." Sam said. There was something so familiar about Dani, but Sam couldn't put a finger on it.  
Far away, Jack had introduced himself to the locals. He explained where they were from and how they had come to be there and why they were there. Amazingly, they believed him. They appeared to be reasonably advanced--not very far behind humanity. Suddenly, Jack got an idea.  
"Do you people know what hockey is?" Jack asked, stuffing his weapon in his pack.  
"Haw-key?" the people repeated, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Jack smiled; this was going to be more fun than he thought.  
Far away, back at the camp, Sam had finished her readings and was using her palm pilot to check her e-mail.  
"That thing has some range on it, doesn't it, Sam?" Daniel teased.  
"Actually, Dani taught me how to wire it so that the signal goes through the Stargate." Sam answered.  
"By the way, where is Colonel O'Neill?" Dani asked.  
"Good question." Said Daniel. In the distance, they could hear a cheering crowd.  
  
They followed the sounds to a small pond outside the village. Native villagers cheering on the people on the ice tightly ringed the pond. Jack had taught the people to fashion ice skates, hockey sticks and goals from available materials and taught them the rules as they went along.  
SG-1 watched in amazement as the crowd had divided itself into opposing sides and cheered with as much vigor, if not more, than a crowd back on Earth. One of the locals bumped into them and asked what team they were 'rooting' for. They muttered that they were for whichever team Colonel O'Neill was on. The crowd they had stumbled into was obviously the opposing side, because the crowd converged on them and began to bombard them with food and other miscellaneous objects. The other side saw this and ran to SG-1's rescue, thus beginning a huge brawl reminiscent of something the team had seen on a televised Soccer match over in Europe.  
Meanwhile, on the ice, Jack called a timeout, but obviously was ignored because he was soon slammed into by three of the other players who either had not learned how to use their brakes well or had simply become too wrapped up in the moment. In either case, Jack soon smelled ice-he was face to face with it. He glanced up and saw his teammates fighting to get free and almost laughed. This would make an interesting report.  
Jack was just struggling to his feet when he heard a sound like a weapon firing. He looked up and saw Martouf standing there with a handful of other Tok'ra. He had gone to the SGC looking for Sam. When she had not been there at the appointed time, and the whole team had become terribly late, Martouf had taken matters into his own hands.  
He was amazed at what he saw. The indigenous people calmed themselves and backed away from the members of SG-1, who were picking themselves up off the ground. Martouf extended a hand to Sam, who until then had not seen him. She looked up and her baby blues met his chocolate browns and Sam smiled.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked as Martouf straightened her hair and kissed her cheek.  
"We had a 'date' today, Samantha. You were not there at the appointed time. General Hammond authorized me to come looking for you." Martouf answered.  
"That was nice of him." Sam said, softening her tone. She and Martouf had had many such 'dates' in the past few months. Sam had briefly been host to Martouf's mate, Jolinar, and Sam herself found that she was growing fond of the soft-spoken, wise Tok'ra man.  
Martouf gathered SG-1 and headed back through the wormhole, leaving the people of that world to piece together the rules of the sport they had been taught and write them down before they forgot. They waved and cheered as Colonel O'Neill walked through the gate, shepherding Daniel and Dani, each with an armload of pictures of the ruins and notes on the explanations that the people had provided. It would, no doubt, keep them busy for a while. Sam had her soil and atmospheric samples to analyze and Teal'c, well. Teal'c had gotten some exercise and.um.came home with a few bruises, just like everyone else.  
"Colonel O'Neill, I would like to know just exactly what you thought you were doing out there today." General Hammond said, staring at the reports written by the rest of SG-1. Most of the reports had been fairly uneventful until he came to the parts where they described the hockey game. He had almost been tempted to laugh. He couldn't seem to imagine Colonel O'Neill teaching the indigenous people of a planet how to play hockey. While he supposed it was possible, part of him thought that O'Neill had that one shred of professionalism left that restrained his actions. Well, he was obviously wrong.  
He stared at the blonde man in the chair opposite his desk. He was relaxed into his customary position, as if he sat in that chair every day. Once again, he was tempted to laugh.  
"I wish I could punish you for this, Colonel, but it seems that the mission was accomplished. Dr. Jackson and Danielle retrieved what they needed to begin studying the culture, Major Carter got what she needed.I can't really punish you for accomplishing what you came for. The natives were more than friendly and accommodating, and all you did was teach them a game. Other than your team coming back with minor bumps and bruises.Frankly, Jack, I'm stunned." General Hammond stuttered. He couldn't believe it.  
"Well, sir, I can't help thinking that I did them a favor." Jack replied, shaking his head. A slender blonde figure appeared in the doorway and interrupted their conversation.  
"Oh, I forgot, Jack, you have a guest. She arrived with Martouf and has been waiting for you to finish debriefing." Said Hammond. Jack turned and looked at his guest. Oh no. Anything but this.  
"Debriefing.that could've been taken out of context." Jack said, resigning himself to the fact that the one member of the Tok'ra who had managed to get SG-1 into the most trouble was standing in the doorway.  
"Freya or Anise?" Jack asked, looking the beautiful Tok'ra leader up and down. Her cloak still covered much of her body. The most Jack could see was the pair heels on her feet.  
"It is I, Colonel O'Neill. Is there somewhere private we could go?" Said the woman in a plainly humanoid voice. Good, he wasn't talking to the snake. He was beginning to become suspicious that she hadn't removed her cloak yet. They arrived at the guest room and Freya made herself at home sitting down on one of the chairs.  
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Jack asked, dryly.  
"I know that in the past you have had feelings for Major Carter, but I had hoped that since she and Martouf have been having such luck with their own relationship that maybe." She stood and crossed the room to Jack.  
".We could take this to the next level." She said. Jack's mouth went dry.  
"It, uh, depends on what your next level is." Jack replied. Jack watched as she untied her heavy cloak and let it fall. Now he knew why she didn't take it off before. She was wearing next to nothing, but what she was wearing, was most.well...becoming. This woman gave the word lingerie and whole new meaning. Jack's eyes must have been saucers in his head, because Freya smiled.  
"Do you like it?" She asked. His only answer was a nod.  
"You see, I promised that I would study your customs so you would not be so uncomfortable. It seems I have, as you say, done my homework well." Freya continued. The lacy outfit she was wearing was exotic, but nothing like a human woman would wear. The number of beads and the amount of ribbon on it suggested that it was hand-made, and as delicate as she was.  
"And Anise doesn't have a problem with this?" Jack said.  
"Anise doesn't have a choice." Said Freya. With this, She pulled Jack to stand in front of her. Without hesitating for more than a moment, they shared their first kiss, and soon after, they shared more than that...much more.  
  
Far away, Sam and Martouf had gone shopping. Martouf had expressed a desire to spend more time with Sam here on Earth, which was fine, but his Tok'ra attire just wouldn't cut it. To start with, he borrowed a set of clothes from Daniel, who turned out to be approximately the same size.  
A pair of Dockers, jeans, t-shirts, polo shirts and shoes later, topped off with a tres-cool pair of Armani shades, Martouf was ready for the city.  
"I had no idea that Earth men needed so much clothing, Sam." Said Martouf. Sam had to laugh. She was dressed down. She wore a long, broomstick sundress, with her own sunglasses perched on her head. They had shopped for hours for just the right outfits for him, and now they were hungry.  
"What are you in the mood for, Martouf? You've never eaten on Earth, have you?" Sam said.  
"No, I have not. What would be appropriate for such a warm day?" He asked in return. Just then, Sam's cell phone rang.  
"Hello? Hi Daniel! Yeah, we were just getting ready to get something to eat.wow, that sounds great.at noon? Yeah, we'll be there. See ya." Sam said, and then hung up.  
"What is it?" Asked Martouf.  
"Daniel is making cheeseburgers at his apartment and he invited the whole team. Would you like to come?" Sam replied.  
"I'd love to." Said Martouf, offering Sam his arm. "I just have one question.what's a cheeseburger?" Sam laughed as they got into her little mint colored Volvo and drove the rest of the way to Daniel's apartment. As soon as they drove up, they could smell Daniel's grill up a few floors and they could hear Jack giving him instructions.  
Upstairs, Dani pulled a pan of french-fries out of the oven and took a couple on a small plate to Daniel and Jack. Dani smiled at them.  
"You know, a wise man once told me that you don't tell another man how to cook in his own home." She said, feeding Jack a fry. She fed one to Daniel also and waited for their reaction. Daniel knew something was different about that fry.  
"The spice I used is from Abydos." She said, "Somehow, I don't think they ever intended it for a french-fry, but I think it works quite nicely, don't you?"  
"Hey, you used a contraction." Daniel said.  
"Yes, I start to slip back into my Earth habits when I'm home for long periods of time." Dani said, walking back toward the kitchen.  
"Colonel O'Neill," Freya called from the living room. Jack had managed to smuggle her off base, with permission this time, and a pretty spare dress of Sam's seemed to finish her off quite well.  
"Now, Freya, if you want to seriously pursue this 'next level', you'll just have to learn to call me Jack when we are not at the SGC, okay?" Jack said gently, his finger tracing her face. Lightly, he kissed her, and then winked as he went to answer the door.  
"That must be Sam and Marty." Said Jack. He always called Martouf that, and it was probably a good thing. Martouf is not exactly the kind of name that you hear every day.  
"I think I saw Janet's car behind us. You invited her too, right?" Sam said, dropping her purse in a chair as she headed for the balcony. Jack handed her a beer, and she appeared to blend into the small party completely. Martouf and Freya quietly acknowledged each other and appeared to feel quite out of place unless they were with their dates. Daniel and Jack discussed hamburger recipes while the girls gathered in the kitchen. It turned into a great afternoon. And yes, Martouf loved his first cheeseburger. That evening, Daniel collapsed onto his couch, and Dani brought him a drink.  
"What's this?" Daniel asked.  
"It's called a kir. It's a little trick I learned in Paris." Dani replied.  
"You speak French?" Daniel asked.  
"Yes." Dani replied.  
"Speak some for me." Daniel teased, wanting to hear if she really could. He was actually more interested in hearing her accent in another tongue.  
"A moi, tu as la colour de mes yeux. Tu as la raison dans ma vie. Il n'y a des persons qui est comme toi." She said softly, her eyes and her tone warm and relaxed.  
Daniel smiled. Then, Dani did something that he never dreamed she'd do. She snuggled closer to him, leaned into his shoulder and the two sat and watched the lights come on all over the city as night fell. They stayed there, stretched out and still cuddled together on the sofa, all night, waking to the sound of one another's heartbeats the next morning.  
Daniel stroked his beloved friend's long hair gently. It shone like gold in the sunlight. She awoke and looked up at him, content not to move too much more.  
"I have a surprise for you at work today." Daniel said.  
"Really?" Dani said sleepily.  
"Yeah. You can have it on one condition." Said Daniel.  
"What's that?" She asked.  
"You make me some of your famous Abydonian breakfast rolls." Daniel couldn't get another word in, Dani was laughing too hard.  
"Are you sure Shau'ri never talked about me?" Dani asked.  
"Yeah, she used to make them for me and said she knew someone who could do it better, though I can't imagine how. I can only imagine that she was referring to you." Daniel said. Dani crept carefully off the couch and tiptoed to the kitchen the next morning. That night had passed so well. They had slept together. That's all, just sleep. It had been the best night Dani could remember.  
After breakfast, Daniel and Dani headed back to the SGC. Freya and Martouf had gone home long ago, and Teal'c's family had arrived during the night. It wasn't on purpose-where they lived, it was still early afternoon. Dani nodded when they arrived in the control room and saw General Hammond. She watched as the Stargate dialed and opened, the iris parted, and a familiar form materialized on the ramp. Dani had never been so glad to see him.  
"Skaara!" Dani cried, "Daniel, you did this?"  
"You told me you knew him and I pulled a few strings." Daniel replied.  
The two rushed to the gate room as the guardians stood down. Skaara saw Dani, and tears filled his brown eyes.  
"It is true, you are here!" Skaara said, sweeping Dani into a big hug.  
"I've missed you, friend! Come, we have much to catch up on." Dani said.  
"My sister would have been so happy to see you. I know her spirit is with us both." Skaara said.  
  
"Daniel, that was so amazing. I can't believe you'd do something like that for me." Dani stammered after Skaara had gone home. Daniel only blushed.  
"It was the least I could do. You've been so good to me the past few days." Daniel said.  
The two returned to their office to work on the artifacts that they had retrieved from the last world. They had a lot to catalog before lunch.  
Sam was on leave for a few days and had chosen to leave for the Tok'ra home world. Martouf had met her at the Stargate and had much planned for them to do. They spent the day exploring the ruins and the city, tasting the food, and Martouf bought her an amazing dress.  
"So this is the payback I get for spoiling you on Earth." Sam teased. Martouf smiled.  
"I figured it was the least I could do. You helped me blend into your culture; I helped you blend into mine. That shade of blue really does become you, Sam." He replied.  
Sam took another bite of the desert in front of her. It was cool and creamy like ice cream, but had little crunchies in it almost like rice krispies. Music began in the background, and Martouf offered his hand to his radiant guest.  
They danced for hours, each teaching the other dances from their respective cultures. It was after midnight before they sat down.  
"Sam, I have something for you." Martouf said, producing a small pouch. "I had this made for you. I hope you'll wear it." In his hand was a sparkling silver ring. It was elaborately formed, unlike anything Sam had ever seen. Tears invaded her eyes when he reached for her hand.  
"I know that in the back of your mind you must think that when I see you, I see Jolinar, but I don't. I loved Jolinar with all of my heart and soul, but you and I are different. I never thought I could love anyone like this again. Not after what happened to her. But you've proven to me that life--and love--does go on. I can see our future in your eyes, Sam. I see our children. Put on this ring, and I'll know you feel the same way." Martouf said. Sam couldn't quell the tears that fell from her eyes as he spoke. No one had ever said something like this to her. Slowly, she took the ring from his trembling hand and slipped it onto her left hand. Miraculously it fit perfectly. It was an engagement ring, and for Sam, it cemented the idea in her mind that Martouf really did mean it when he said I love you. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, letting her enthusiasm sweep her away.  
"Wait," Sam sniffled, "Where's my dad? I want to tell him the good news." Martouf smiled. Taking Sam's hand, he led her down the hall where she heard familiar humming. Timidly, she knocked on the bare doorframe.  
"Dad?" She called.  
"There's my baby girl! I heard you were going to be here and I was beginning to wonder why you hadn't come to see me yet." He said. Then he saw the tears in her eyes.  
"Sam, what's wrong?" He said. Sam took a deep breath and told him what Martouf had said. Jacob's eyes swelled with tears of his own.  
"Dad, I'm getting married." Sam said, both of them giving in to the tears they were holding back. Martouf came in when Jacob called him, knowing that he was right there in the doorway. Both Jacob and Selmac made Martouf promise to take good care of Sam, and only then did Jacob give them his blessing.  
Martouf and Jacob were kissing Sam goodbye at the Stargate the next morning when Freya walked by. The glistening in Martouf's eyes was his gift to Sam as she disappeared though the portal.  
"Martouf, she was not wearing that ring when she arrived." Freya said.  
"They are getting married, Freya." Said Selmac, momentarily taking the opportunity to speak. "I knew that they were close but I never imagined that it would move so quickly."  
Freya's head gained a curious tilt. She hadn't imagined being married to any man, but her recent break through with Jack gave her cause to pause and reflect. She hadn't thought of Jack as a potential mate. The culture she had come from was one that was very free with their emotions and it had been perfectly normal for her to act this way around Jack and not expect him to read too much into it. Then she remembered what she had learned about human relationships. She had given Jack a very precious gift; he would surely expect her to keep up her end of the relationship. Commitment was going to be an interesting lesson for her.  
  
Daniel and Dani were working late. The base was quietest at night, and they were getting a lot done. Around 11:00pm, Daniel stood and stretched. He hadn't even noticed that Dani had fallen asleep at her desk. There were papers everywhere, artifacts that had been tagged and cataloged but she had been too busy to get up and put away.  
Daniel walked softly over to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. She woke up at his touch, and relaxed into his grip. Sleepily, she rubbed her eyes, replacing her glasses on her face.  
"Mmm.that feels so good." Dani murmured. Daniel pushed a button on a remote control, beginning music on one of the computers. Dani smiled, one of her favorite songs began to play.  
"I am the man who would fight for your honor  
I'll be the hero you're dreaming of  
We'll live forever  
Knowing together that we did it all  
For the Glory of Love."  
"Would you really fight for me?" Dani asked, sliding into Daniel's arms to dance with him. Daniel smiled.  
"You bet I would." Daniel murmured, kissing her. The song ended and the two found themselves standing inches apart. Daniel took Dani's face in his hands and kissed her again, this time with more passion. She relaxed into his steady embrace and let him pull her closer. Without breaking the kiss, Dani reached for the top button of his shirt. Gently, Daniel held her hands.  
"Not here. C'mon, I know a place we can go."  
A few steps down the hall was an empty guest room. The two tiptoed inside and softly shut the door. Dani kissed Daniel again, this time he let her unbutton his shirt. They collapsed to the nearby bed, Daniel smothering her in kisses.  
"Daniel." she murmured, losing the ability to breathe let alone speak. Then it happened, Dani heard something she hoped she would never hear Daniel say.  
"What did you call me?" Dani said, jerking back from his kiss. Daniel pulled suddenly out of his revelry to stare bewildered.  
"Wha-what's wrong?" Daniel asked. Dani didn't answer. Tears were already beginning to drop from her eyes. She pulled her camouflage fatigue shirt back over her black tee shirt and went for the door.  
"I should have known you still weren't over it." She said.  
"Dani!" Daniel called desperately.  
"I'll be at Sam's tonight." She said as she closed the door on him. In his distraction he didn't even know what he had called her, but whatever it was, it had badly hurt her feelings. Daniel rested his head in his hands, and shut his eyes. What had he done?  
  
"He called you what?" Major Samantha Carter asked Dani. She was as stunned as Dani was when she heard it. "You and Daniel have been getting along so well, Dani. I guess I am just as shocked as you."  
"He said he loved me, Sam." Dani said, peering out the window at the stars. Sam listened as Dani replayed the events of that night. Dani already knew what it was like to have her heart broken but for some reason, this was different.  
"My God, Sam, he called me Shau'ri!" Dani wept.  
  
**END PART 1!** 


	2. Glory of Love

Glory of Love  
  
By: Cielita  
  
Part 2 of the "Waiting for the Day" Series  
  
A sequel to "As Long as You Love Me". Inspired by the song "Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera. (Daniel and Dani dance to it in part 1, remember?) Also includes lyrics from the song "Do You Love me That Much?" by the same artist. Once again, AU, due to appearances by characters like Skaara, Freya and Martouf. Rated R for violence and mushy stuff. CHARACTER DEATH! Pairings include Sam/Martouf established, Jack/Freya (now established) and Daniel/Dani Series answers challenges 911, 867, and 1021.  
  
{Skritch, scratch, skritch-skritch, shwoosh}  
Major Samantha Carter listened as her friend obviously worked very hard at whatever she was drawing. Sam tried desperately not to interrupt her, and soon, the pencil sounds slowed to a stop, and Sam peered into the living room to see Dani fast asleep on the sofa, her drawing beside her on the coffee table. Sam was stunned. Dani had drawn Daniel and done an incredible job. She portrayed every laugh line, every shadow in perfect detail, and the way the light hit his face and softly landed in his sandy hair; the way the same light played on his muscles and highlighted his dimples. His glasses were perfect, his eyes were shiny, and his handsome jaw line gave his artist a dashing smile. There was only one thing more interesting than the portrait's passionate perfection.Daniel was, well.  
'Ding-dong!'  
Sam flashed a look at Dani to see if the sound had awakened her. Seeing that it hadn't, she went to answer the door.  
"Daniel, hi!" Sam whispered. "What's up?"  
"Um, is Dani awake? We need to talk." Daniel said.  
"So I heard." Said Sam. She slowly stood back to allow him inside, waiting to see Dani's reaction. He walked into the living room and saw Dani's drawing. He was awed. No one had ever drawn him before. Not only that, Dani had never seen him without a shirt on, so it intrigued him to see that she was able to portray his figure so well. He was nearly brought to tears by the inscription of song lyrics she had given it.  
"Sometimes at night I lie awake  
Just to watch you sleep; hear each breath you take  
When the morning lights your face  
I just want to hold you and forget the day  
I live and breathe your every touch, Do you love me?  
Do you love me?  
Do you love me that much?"  
Daniel knelt beside the couch, close enough to feel her breath leaving her nostrils.  
"I do, Dani. I really do love you. I just wish you would talk to me." As Daniel stood, a tear from his eyes dropped to Dani's picture. He turned to leave and Sam halted him.  
"C'mon, let's go in the kitchen and talk for a while." She said.  
  
"I got to thinking after she left. I remembered my mom and dad, and how happy they were when I was little. They loved archaeology, but more than that, they loved each other and they loved me. That's why I was there in the museum with them the day they died. I remembered going and peeking in on my parents one morning. Dad was awake, watching mom sleep. He looked almost spellbound. I told myself ever since that if I ever found a woman that affected me that way that I would never let her go." Daniel said.  
"So what happened?" Sam asked, cradling a cup of coffee.  
"I screwed up. I had her in my arms and I let go. I did something I never thought I would do. I.I called her Shau'ri! I never meant to hurt her, Sam. You know, I know the song she took that passage from.Do you have a piece of paper?" Daniel asked.  
When Dani awoke the next day, she found the piece of paper near her drawing and the still-drying teardrop on the page. She sat up slowly and opened the note.  
"When you look at me across the crowded room,  
Suddenly I want to be alone with you  
I hang on every word that leaves your lips  
Anticipate the moment, when I feel your kiss  
To feel love for you is not enough  
Do you love me? Do you love me?  
Do you love me, that much?"  
  
I do love you that much, Dani. The past weeks have been better than anything I can remember. For me, family is very hard to come by and I've lost so much.having you in my life has been like music to my heart. I can never adequately express what your presence means to me. I can never tell you enough how sorry I am about the other night. You saved me from a life that could have been spent searching for another Shau'ri.a person I would never have found. Instead, God sent me you. I have never been so happy as I am with you. I can't tell you I love you enough to even come close to how I feel. Please, if you get this in time, come back to the SGC so we can talk. I will love you no matter what you decide.  
My love forever, Daniel  
  
Dani nearly fainted. She fingered the damp splash of tear that had landed on her artwork and realized that Daniel must have been there.  
"Sam!" Dani called. Sam emerged from the upstairs still toweling her short hair.  
"Morning!" She said. "Dani, what's wrong?"  
Dani showed her Daniel's note. Sam nearly cried.  
"What did he mean, 'in time'?" Sam asked. Suddenly, the worst-case scenario floated through her mind.  
Dani packed her things faster than she dreamed possible and she and Sam went back to the SGC. Dani rushed down the hall to she and Daniel's office.  
"Daniel!" She cried. She got to the doorway and saw that his desk was clean and neat. We're talking immaculate. Daniel was never that neat. He was also not there. Terrified, Dani ran down the hall to the sleeping room where she and Daniel had last seen one another. He wasn't there. Jack wandered down the hall to where Sam and Dani were standing.  
"Yeah, Daniel left with SG-5 for a diplomatic mission this morning. What's going on between you two? He said something about it not being fair that Sam and I had a family. Whatever he meant by that." Said Jack.  
"When is SG-5 coming back?" Dani asked.  
"I dunno." Said Jack. "Look, he'll be fine. He's traveled with SG-5 before. Just chill out, besides, we have a mission briefing in 30 minutes." Said Jack.  
The remaining four members of SG-1 met for their briefing and gated to the next world, both Sam and Dani very uneasy about what they might come home to.  
  
SG-5 still had not come home days later when SG-1 returned. Dani retired to her office and started a new piece of pottery that she and Daniel had been trying in earnest to translate. Hours later, Sam walked into her office. Dani turned down her headphones when she saw Sam.  
"What's wrong?" She asked. Dani had just managed to convince herself that Daniel was okay and the note had meant simply that he would be gone with SG-5. The look on Sam's face changed her mind.  
"We can't seem to get a lock on SG-5. We can't even get a signal through to the planet they were going to. We're in the dark. We won't know anything until they try to contact us." Said Sam. Dani couldn't stop her heart from pounding.  
"General Hammond said we should go home. Do you have a spare key for Daniel's apartment? You are staying with him, right?" Sam asked. Dani nodded.  
"I just don't know if I want to be alone, tonight." Dani said, fighting the tears in her eyes. Sam nodded and offered her a ride home.  
When she got home, Dani made something small for she and Sam for dinner, and then sat down with her sketchpad. For some reason, the pencil wouldn't move--her thoughts wouldn't come. It was like she was burned out. Sam tucked her into the bed in Daniel's guest room later on, and went back to the living room. As she sat down, there was a sound like someone trying the lock on the door. Sam perked up and looked as a familiar brunette form with his hands full of books and maps and drawings worked his way in the door. Sam fought to keep calm as she helped Daniel drop everything on the island in his kitchen so she could hug him.  
"You had us all so worried!" Sam said, burying her head in his shoulder. He hugged her, but the person he was really waiting to see was a stones throw away.  
"Wait, where's.." he didn't finish the rest of his sentence, because the object of his inquiry was standing in the hall.  
"Daniel!" Dani cried, letting Daniel pick her up and swing her in a circle in his arms. "I was so scared! They told us that they lost SG-5's signal and I thought about all the horrible things I said to you and then your note and all I." Daniel interrupted her to kiss her soundly, wiping her tears away from beneath her glasses with his thumbs. Dani looked at him with as much passion as her green eyes could muster.  
"All I wanted was one last chance to tell you how much I love you." Dani said, sniffling away what was left of her tears.  
"The magistrate that we were meeting asked me if I had a woman in my life. I said I did, but that I had accidentally hurt her feelings very badly and I didn't know if she still wanted to be with me. He took me to this friend of his who does the most incredible, intricate jewelry, and I had something made for you." Daniel said, pulling a velvety pouch out of his pocket.  
"It's not a diamond, which is actually what you deserve for putting up with me, but I knew how much you liked amber, so." Daniel pulled the ring out the pouch and showed it to her. It was amazing. There were tiny silver dolphins on it, rising in an arc around a perfectly rounded piece of amber. The jewel practically radiated orange light, and the gold band had the look of ripples on an open sea. It was like a sunset.  
"Daniel." Dani couldn't finish. She was too stunned.  
"Will you marry me?" Daniel asked, practically holding his breath for her answer. Dani's nod was all he needed. Sam began to cry behind them as Daniel and Dani once again melted into one entity in a kiss. Daniel and Dani each hugged Sam then, and hugged her again as she got ready to go home. Once Sam had gone, Daniel thought to ask Dani about her drawing. She only smiled.  
"That night after the barbeque, when we fell asleep on the sofa, I memorized every muscle, every line, every shadow of you. Your eyes and the way you smile so that your dimples show, how long your eyelashes are, the color of your eyes-I memorized it all. Then that night last week, when I thought I'd lost you, I blurted it all out on paper. Ask Sam, it couldn't have taken me more than three hours to do. Full scale portraits usually take me a solid day." Dani said, sinking in under his arm.  
"Sometimes at night I lie awake  
Just to watch you sleep hear each breath you take  
When the morning lights your face,  
I just want to hold you and forget the day  
I live and breathe your every touch  
Do you love me?  
Do you love me?  
Do you love me, that much?" Dani sang, looking at her new fiancé. Daniel smiled and picked up the next verse exactly as he had written it in his note to her.  
"When you look at me across the crowded room  
Suddenly I want to be alone with you  
I hang on every word that leaves your lips  
Anticipate the moment when I feel your kiss.  
To feel love for you is not enough,  
Do you love me?  
Do you love me?  
Do you love me that much?" Daniel sang back to her. He never thought himself much of a singer, but when he was with Dani, he could have been Pavarotti. The familiar song by Peter Cetera was still on their minds when they once again fell asleep on the sofa--this time on purpose. That night, Dani's ring became their vow not to consummate their relationship until after they were married. Their Catholic faith meant more to them now than ever before.  
Later that night, Dani must have been having a terrible dream, because she fell off the couch, hitting her head on the coffee table. When the warm body beside him suddenly made an exit and he heard the pain-filled cry of his beloved, Daniel awoke to find Dani on the floor, crying and holding her forehead.  
"What happened? Dani, let me see." Daniel said, joining her on the floor. The bump was turning into an ugly bruise, and Dani was still wailing in pain. Daniel went for the kitchen, retrieving a cold pack that he uses on his own various injuries. Now it was her turn. It felt good to have someone to take care of.  
He managed to get the swelling to go down and calm Dani to the point where she was willing to tell him what happened in her dream.  
"It was terrible. We were on a mission to a world where the MALP readings said it was deserted, but we were ambushed. They were a strange alien race with silent weapons. It felt so weird when you fell and I didn't hear any shots being fired. I was scared and I tried to run to help you. You had fallen by the stone ruins near the gate and I could only faintly see the shots being fired but I couldn't hear it! You were dying and there was nothing I could do-I couldn't even move! There.there was so much blood! Did I ever tell you how much I hate blood? Then the most horrible thing happened: the cover-stone on the ruins fell and crushed us!" She said. For a split second, Daniel froze; his parents had died when a cover-stone in a museum had fallen on them.  
"Shhh. It's okay, I'm here and nothing's going to happen to me or any of the others." Daniel soothed. They were still sitting on the floor, and it was going on 3 am.  
"C'mon. I have an idea." Daniel said, helping her up from the floor. He took her by the hand and led her down the hall to his room.  
"Daniel, we promised." Dani warned gently.  
"I know, I just thought it would be harder for you to fall out of a bed than off a sofa." Daniel said. Dani smiled, she detoured to the guest room to change her clothes, and then joined Daniel in the other room. With a grand sweep of his hand, he offered her his bed. She laughed as Daniel tucked her in and then tucked the end of the sheets back in, sufficiently securing her to the bed. Then he crept in on the other side and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her. After he lightly kissed her ear and whispered goodnight, both of them fell easily asleep.  
  
"Good luck, SG-1!" said General Hammond as the team passed through the gate the next morning.  
"Daniel, I have a bad feeling about this mission." Dani said, recalling the dream she had had the other night that had ended in a head injury.  
"It was just a dream, sweetheart. I promise, everything is going to be fine. We're going to go and find out if there are any interesting ruins or great big temples and maybe if we're lucky, we'll find a friendly alien to translate it all for us." Said Daniel, hoping he had not patronized her.  
"Oh, honey, I thought translating was half the fun!" Dani teased, feeling better about the mission. Daniel smiled.  
When they were finished with their abbreviated briefing, Dani and Daniel turned their eyes toward the massive temple in the distance. It was built so that the Stargate was right in line with the setting sun.  
"It's beautiful, Daniel!" Dani exclaimed as she shielded her eyes from the brightness of the sun.  
"I see it! I see it now!" cried Jack.  
"What?" asked Sam.  
"That look! They always get that look when they want to go and explore to their little hearts' content." Said Jack, complete with mock excitement. Daniel and Dani rolled their eyes and the team continued toward the temple.  
SG-1 never knew what hit them. One by one, everything in Dani's dream happened. It got all the way to the point where Daniel had fallen. However, he had not been hit by a silent projectile, he had tripped over an object and tumbled to the ground. Dani rushed to cover him, occasionally looking to make sure he was all right. They were on the steps of the temple when Dani remembered what had happened at the climax of her dream. She stowed her weapon long enough to look up. The huge pillars holding up the cover stone were trembling. Dani took hold of her teammate and love and dragged him away from the steps just in time for the cover stone to collapse. They could hear Sam scream from a distance. She thought they were still beneath the fallen rock. When the cover stone fell, the aliens had fled, leaving SG-1 to pick themselves up out of the rubble.  
"Daniel!" Dani cried, shaking his shoulders.  
"Huh? What? What's going on?" he mumbled. Good, he was all right. It was a relief when he opened his eyes and reached for her.  
"Dani? Dani, are you okay?" he continued.  
"I'm here, Daniel, I'm here. Daniel, this is just like my dream!" Dani cried.  
Oh my God!" He muttered, forcing himself to sit up and look at her. When the rest of the team caught up with them, Colonel O'Neill was not happy. Not only had the MALP readings been false, and his team nearly killed, but one of them had had some vague recollection of similar events and hadn't told him.  
"You wouldn't have believed me!" Dani cried.  
"Regardless, you withheld information that could have potentially changed the outcome of this mission. How did you get off world in the first place? We've been with the Stargate program from day one. Why didn't we notice? How can we trust you?" Jack said, backing Dani up against a tree.  
"I was part of a top secret covert operation with SG-10. I went off world once, and then took the gates from one world to the next. SG-1 was not on base that day. You would never have known unless the general told you. Now that you made me blow a classified mission would it be possible for me to get out of the line of fire of your P90, sir?" Dani growled.  
Jack O'Neill practically pushed the rest of his team back through the Stargate. Teal'c had been characteristically silent during the mission. He wasn't entirely sure that O'Neill had done the right thing in bringing up Dani's past at such an inopportune moment, but he was their commanding officer, and it was not his place to argue.  
On the other side, Dani stumbled through the Stargate and fell to the ramp. Right before she had gotten to the event horizon, Jack had given her a good hard shove. When they emerged, Daniel went to help her up but not before Jack could make his intentions known.  
"General! Get her off my team!" he shouted, pointing at Dani. General Hammond got to the gate room just in time to stop Dani from making a hasty exit for the locker rooms.  
"Colonel, I'd like to know what happened first before I make any kind of assumption as to what to do." Said General Hammond.  
"She almost got my team killed, General." Said Jack, pulling off his hat.  
"How so?" asked General Hammond.  
"It appears that Dr. Keller's dreams are prophetic. An ability she did not know she possessed." Said Teal'c.  
"Sir, there was no way she could have known that her dreams were prophetic and by the time she realized it, she also realized that the silent weaponry disabled our radios." Sam said. "Besides, she did figure it out in time to save Daniel's life and her own."  
"Narrowly saving her own." Added Daniel.  
"Dismissed." Said General Hammond. "I'll see you all at the debriefing."  
  
"It'll be okay, Dani. Don't you worry." Sam soothed, squeezing Dani's shoulders.  
"What if he does succeed in getting me off the team?" she asked.  
"He can't do that. The whole team has to agree to kick to you out and you saw for yourself, even Teal'c defended you, and Teal'c doesn't defend too many women." Sam said, pulling her black t-shirt over her head.  
"But Jack is the CO. You can't tell me he doesn't have more pull than the rest of us do." Said Dani, pulling a brush through her long hair.  
  
"That may be, but you have to know by now that General Hammond knows Jack better than most of the rest of us do. You can't go entirely by what Jack says. He treats us all like we're his family. He was terrified when that cover stone fell." Said Sam.  
"Yeah, you should have been under it. Daniel was unconscious and I swear it was a pure adrenaline rush to have to pull him out of the way and make sure I got out too." Dani continued.  
"I'll bet. After all you and Daniel have been through I can't imagine not having you on the team. The maps you've been drawing have been an incredible help." Sam said, replacing her engagement ring on her hand.  
"I've been learning to do them on the computer. The topography of some of these worlds has been amazing!" Dani exclaimed. She and Sam were still talking when they got to the briefing room. When she sat down, Daniel looked at her for some sign that she was okay. She lightly nodded to him as she pushed her ring back onto her hand. She and Sam never wore their rings on missions. They were too precious to them to lose.  
The debriefing went smoothly. General Hammond had talked to each of the team members individually, asking each what had happened and if Colonel O'Neill's demand that Dani be removed from the team was founded. Each of them had said no except the colonel. He felt that Dani had jeopardized the mission by not telling about her dream, and the others maintained that none of them knew that she had prophetic dreams and there had been no other reason to say anything about it. General Hammond upheld the opinion of the majority of the team.Dani would stay. When the general said that Dani could stay, Daniel squeezed her hand beneath the table. He was so relieved.  
That night, SG-1 gathered at a favorite restaurant to celebrate Daniel and Dani's engagement and that of Sam and Martouf. Martouf hadn't been able to be there, but Sam was still happy nonetheless.  
"Hey, Dani?" said Colonel O'Neill as she and Daniel arrived.  
"Yes, sir?" she asked.  
"I want to apologize to you for what's been going on between us. I've been a.well.I've been a jerk and you really have been doing your best, so what do you say, are we friends?" Jack said, waiting through the pause before her answer.  
"Yes sir." She replied, smiling at Jack and Daniel. It had taken a lot for Jack to apologize, and she was proud of him. She took Daniel's arm and all three proceeded into the restaurant where Sam and Teal'c were already waiting.  
"Here's to good times, good friends, and the time honored tradition of falling in love." Said Daniel, nodding to his bride to be.  
"Here, here!" his friends enthused as they toasted each other. Life was good. What else does one need when one has a family of friends?  
  
Sirens wailed and red lights flashed the next day at the SGC. The Tok'ra home world had been sabotaged, and they had radioed the SGC begging for help. Several strategically placed bombs had gone off, injuring many. SG-1 ran for the gate room. They had only to look at General Hammond to discover that they had a go.  
SG-1 appeared on the other side of the gate to see a disturbing sight. Their gate room was one of the first places to be hit, and they had suffered many casualties. SG-1 had come with supplies to help with the recovery effort. Two other bombs had been found in the immediate vicinity, but those had been diffused in time. Now the mourning for those who had been lost could begin.  
Jack O'Neill didn't know what to do. He held out hope that his beloved Freya had not been in the path of one of the bombs. He and the team, assisted by Sam's dad, Jacob, also known as the Tok'ra Selmac, they cleaned up the areas and uncovered the bodies of the dead.  
The more Sam helped to do, the more difficult it became not to let her emotions interfere with the mission. She came to the corner of a room, pulled up some debris, and sat back, startled.  
"What is it, Sam?" Asked Jacob, peering over his daughter's shoulder. There, in the rubble, was Freya. Sam gingerly felt for her pulse.nothing.  
  
"Dad." Sam said, looking up at him. Jacob beckoned and Sam stood up, melting into her father's arms and beginning to cry. "How are we going to tell Colonel O'Neill?" Jacob couldn't answer; he was heartbroken. It wasn't until hours later that the disaster was under control, and SG-1 felt comfortable leaving the Tok'ra to finish the process and begin the investigation into who had committed this heinous crime.  
It was the look on Sam's face that told him that Freya was dead. She didn't have to say a word. Jack had never really been much with emotions, so losing someone he deeply cared about was a feeling he had only encountered once before. Years ago when his young son accidentally shot himself with Jack's gun. It was going to take him some time to grieve.  
Throughout the whole day, Sam had not seen Martouf. She didn't want to hope too much or jump to conclusions, but the silver ring on her dog tags tugged at her heartstrings. Before her father could tell her why she hadn't seen him, the gate activated, and a familiar form materialized on the platform. Sam couldn't keep still. She looked frantically at Jack, her eyes pleading for permission just this once to be a woman instead of a soldier. Jack nodded gently, and Sam dropped her pack and weapon to smother her fiancé.  
"Martouf! My God, I thought I'd lost you!" Sam wept, holding him as tight as she could. She had never been so relieved. Martouf held her face in his hands, his own eyes bright with emotions.  
"I was hoping you would be here, Sam. I heard what had happened and I feared that the SGC would have been hit also because of our alliance. But here we both are, alive." Martouf said, unable to let go of Sam's shoulders.  
"I love you, Martouf." Sam murmured, reaching up to kiss him.  
"I love you, too, Samantha." Martouf whispered. "I love you so much."  
  
Daniel and Dani snuggled into bed that night, not quite able to sleep. As hard as they tried, the memories of the past day haunted them.  
"How does that work, Daniel? How do the people we love slip through our fingers without the slightest provocation?" Dani asked softly.  
"I don't know. Maybe it's because once in a while we need to be reminded that life, as much as we love it, comes to an end. Everything has a time to be born, a time to live, and a time to die. It's the time in between that birth and death that we have to make the most of. We have a responsibility to bring the best of what we have to this life before it's over." Daniel said wrapping his arms around her. Both were glad the other was alive, but both mourned the loss of a friend. Dani snuggled back close into Daniel's arms and made herself go to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day.  
The next morning, SG-1 gathered at the SGC, minus one. For the first time in years, Colonel O'Neill took the day off. He was at home, on his couch, staring out the window. In his hand was a small box. He played over and over in his mind what he had planned to do.  
"When you studied our culture, what did you learn about courtship?"  
"That it varies from person to person, and that it ends with the couple becoming betrothed."  
"Well, what would you say if I were to ask you to become my betrothed?"  
The day of the attack on the Tok'ra home world, Jack had bought a ring for Freya. He knew exactly what he would say to her and how he would ask, but it was too late now. The funeral service at the SGC would be brief, but Jack wanted to be there. He put on his dress uniform, all pressed and clean, and went to the Complex.  
When he arrived, his friends gave him looks of sympathy and sadness that paled in comparison to what he was feeling. He walked up to Freya's body, dressed from head to toe in white, and lightly stroked her face. Fighting his soul for control of his emotions, he placed the ring on her hand and gently kissed her lips.  
Some in the room cried, others left the room, unable to take the sadness of the day. Sam braved the crowd and joined her CO near the body. She, too, was wearing her dress uniform, and sniffled away tears as she gently squeezed Jack's shoulders. Would he ever love again? It was hard to say. Jack was such a private man. Sam couldn't help but think 'How can Daniel and I be planning weddings when Jack has just lost someone dear to him?' In the chairs near the back of the room, Dani was thinking the same thing. She and Daniel were putting the finishing touches on their wedding plans, with one of the last things being Dani choosing her wedding gown and gowns for her bridesmaids. It all seemed so out of place in her mind when she was at a funeral. In a moment of thought, she made up her mind what she could do for Jack. All that afternoon and until midnight that night, Dani worked like she had never worked before. Daniel went into the workroom of the apartment to see what she was doing and found her putting the finishing touches on a framed piece of her artwork. Daniel took another bite out of the apple he had in his hand and kissed her shoulder before peeking over it. Dani stood up and smiled as Daniel's face reflected his surprise. Before him was a portrait of Freya, the natural pout of her lips, the blush in her cheeks and the delicate complexion that made her so beautiful perfectly intact and undisturbed by death. Her blue eyes were calm, and her expression quiet and reflective, just like her nature.  
"This is amazing, honey." Daniel said, "Jack's going to really appreciate it."  
"I hope so. I would really hate to make the whole thing worse." Dani replied. She knew that this was so hard on Jack.  
"What's that?" Daniel asked, gesturing towards a covered frame in the corner of the room.  
"Don't you dare peek at that. That's your wedding present from me and now that you know what it is I have to find a new place for it so you won't be tempted to peek." Dani said. Daniel chuckled.  
"Do you really think I would peek? If so then you don't know me very well." Said Daniel.  
"Oh, I know you very well, Dr. Daniel James Jackson. That's the precise reason I'm hiding it again." Dani teased.  
"Well, Dr. Danielle Marie Keller, I hope that you will like your wedding present from me just as much." Daniel shot back, waiting to see if he had gotten a reaction.  
"Well, Dr. Jackson, I believe I will." Dani said defiantly, returning from the back room as Daniel meandered to the kitchen.  
"And how do you suppose that?" Daniel asked, tossing his apple core up in the air and catching it in his mouth before he crunched it.  
"Because I just know you that well." Dani said, draping her arms around his shoulders and waiting until he had swallowed his apple before rewarding him with a lingering kiss. Their wedding was three weeks away, and the suspense was going to be well worth the wait.  
  
**END PART 2!! ** 


	3. Thank You for Loving Me

Thank You, For Loving Me  
  
Part 3 in the "Music of my Heart" Series  
  
Big hugs to my new beta readers! This means a lot to me! Once again, AU story Pairings: Daniel/Dani, Sam/Martouf. Sorry, Jack! All alone in this one! Rating: once again, probably R. There may be another honeymoon and potential torture. Jon Bon Jovi's song, "Thank You for Loving me" provided the title. Series fulfills Heliopolis challenges 911, 867 & 1021  
  
"Have the two of you even." Jack O'Neill didn't even get the rest of the sentence out.  
"No we have not. We made a promise when I asked her to marry me that we wouldn't make love until our wedding night." Daniel said.  
"How quaint!" swooned Jack, leaning back and spinning in Dani's office chair. "Why?" Jack continued.  
"It's a Catholic thing, Jack." Said Daniel, a little more defensively than he had intended. Daniel had always been Catholic, but Jack had never questioned his religion before. It was important to both he and Dani that they uphold their religion. It was obvious that Jack was bored. It was Friday night, about 11:30 pm, and Daniel was tired. Dani had gone home early, intending to stop at the florist's shop and the caterer's on her way. Their wedding was three days from now, and both of them were floating on air.  
"So, I read in her file that her parents are dead. Yours are dead too." Said Jack.  
"So?"  
"So, who's going to walk your bride down the isle?" Jack asked.  
"Actually, we thought about that, and Dani said she would go solo." Daniel said.  
"Well," Jack said, getting up from his chair. "There's no reason her Commanding Officer can't do it, is there?" Daniel stared up at him over his glasses. They hadn't thought of that, and even if they had, they didn't want to impose.  
"What are you saying, Jack?" Daniel asked, tapping his pencil on the desk.  
"I'm saying I want to walk your gorgeous bride down the isle of that fancy church you two picked out on the most important day of your lives. Can I do that?" Jack asked, his customary sarcasm already out to get them.  
  
"Actually, Jack, I still need a Best Man. And seeing as you and I have known one another for so long, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind filling that capacity instead." Daniel said, pausing to wait for an answer. Jack was honored. He smiled and patted Daniel's shoulder on his way to the door. Once there, he stopped.  
"That still leaves me with two questions." Jack said.  
"Shoot."  
"Did you have a bachelor party yet?"  
"Um.no."  
"And who's gonna walk Dani down the isle?" Jack added with a hint of exasperation.  
  
The next night, Daniel found himself being 'kidnapped' from the SGC early to go with Jack to the bachelor party he had planned. There was drinking, guy stuff (a.k.a. a stripper) and a full scale game of roller hockey in wait for Daniel when he arrived. Back at the apartment, the girls were giving Dani a bridal shower. They oohed and ahhed at the beautiful gifts she received, and they all partied till night became day. The wedding was now so close the bride and groom could taste it.  
  
"You called for me, General?" Dani said, peeking in the door of General Hammond's office. He chuckled at the sparkle in her eyes.  
"The formality isn't necessary today, Dani." He said, offering her a hug.  
"I never expected this, Uncle George. When I came here I never imagined that I would fall in love." Said Dani. She hadn't told the team until just a few days ago that she was Hammond's niece, (his sister's daughter) and that he had offered to walk her down the isle on her wedding day. He was wearing his dress uniform, stripes and all, and was ready to follow Dani and Daniel to the church for the ceremony.  
In the bride room, Dani was patiently letting Sam zip her wedding dress for her in front of the mirror.  
"Dani, you're so pretty!" Cassie said, straightening Dani's train.  
"This dress is amazing, Dani. I want one just like it." Said Sam, ribbing Dani.  
"There's not enough room in this dress for me and the sandwich I had for lunch." Dani said, smoothing the satin in the mirror. She looked up from the miles of satin and lace and was awestruck. Cassie smiled and sat down to let her mother finish her hair and Sam finished setting Dani's veil into the nest of curls on her head, and she pulled the soft tulle over her face.  
"This is it, Sam. I'm becoming Mrs. Daniel Jackson today." Dani said.  
"Actually, in about 10 minutes, Dani." Said Janet, looking at her watch.  
The procession left the dressing rooms minutes later to line up. Daniel was already down near the altar, his ushers leading the guests to their seats. He was so nervous. He had never actually gotten married before. Shau'ri had been sort of a gift to him from her village. The adrenaline of this day charged him like a bolt of lightning. This was the day he and Dani had been waiting months for.  
The music began to play, and the procession began. Slowly, two by two, the attendants filed down the isle. First Teal'c and Janet, then Cassie and Dominic, and finally, a very proud Sam and Jack. The song ended, and the whole church stood to await the bride. When the doors opened and allow Dani to begin her own procession, the crowd went deafly silent. She was beautiful. Her dress lightly shimmered in the soft lights, and the organ boomed in the background. When she reached the altar and took Daniel's arm, her smile was more radiant than anything Daniel had ever seen. It seemed like forever before the magic words were spoken.  
"With the power vested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you man and wife. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Dr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Jackson."  
The church erupted into applause. Daniel and Dani looked one another with the love of a thousand lifetimes in their eyes. Daniel gently lifted her veil and took her face in his hands as he leaned in to kiss her. Then he took her hand and the two lead the procession out of the church. They were bombarded by birdseed on their way to their limo and then again when they arrived for the reception. They danced the night away and escaped for their honeymoon directly afterwards. Daniel carried his 5'3" bride over the threshold of their home to collect their luggage and drove off for their honeymoon. They didn't tell anyone where they would be so that they couldn't be reached, but little did they know that they could be found anyway.  
  
Daniel and Dani Jackson were hardly in the door of their cabin when they dropped their bags in the foyer to kiss one more time. Their bags wouldn't make it to their bedroom before they did. Daniel peeled Dani's light spring jacket off her shoulders, making it clear that they had waited long enough for this. His hands couldn't seem to decide where to go first. Dani made short work of his jacket, shirt, and was on her way to his belt when her blouse hit the floor. Daniel took hold of her and turned them the right direction so that when he pushed her backwards they landed on the huge bed in their room.  
Dani shrugged off her bra and Daniel paused in awe; she was incredible.  
"You are so beautiful!" he murmured. The reverence in his tone was enough to send Dani reeling. She was losing the battle to concentrate as Daniel's kisses meandered lower on her body.  
"Daniel." Dani gasped, "There.no, lower.Daniel!"  
Daniel almost lost control. Gently, slowly, as if to savor what it felt like, Daniel closed the space between them and made them one.  
The only sounds from the room were those of their lovemaking, the air between them crackling like firecrackers in the dark. Their glasses had been discarded long ago, their clothes were everywhere; marking the path they had taken across the small cabin. The trail was littered with rose petals, and the whole room was scented with Chamomile, Valerian, and Lavender. Nothing could have been better.  
The next day, Daniel and Dani Jackson spent their time cooking, reading, hiking, napping in the hammock, and swimming in the little lake beside the cabin. That night resembled the night before, only this time it was sweeter, slower, a little less labored, as if the urgency was over, and now they were ready to take their time and get to know every inch of one another.  
  
The two were resting silently in each other's arms when the cell phone rang. Dani and Daniel exchanged looks, each knowing that this would happen sooner or later. They let it ring mercilessly before finally giving in.  
"Hello?" said an obviously upset Dani.  
"Hey, kids, how's the honeymoon?" said a rather perky Jack O'Neil. Dani thought she was going to have to open the window and chuck the cell phone into the lake.  
"With all due respect, you better have one damn good excuse for this, sir." Dani growled.  
"Well, tell me what you think of this," he said, "Carter's gone missing, and we need you guys back here so we can go off-world and start searching."  
"Did you guys check on the Tok'ra home world?" Dani asked.  
"Yeah, we did. Come to think of it.women." Said Colonel O'Neill, realizing that they may be in more danger than they previously conceived.  
"What?" Said Dani, switching the phone to the other ear.  
"Both of the people that have disappeared have been women. Sam and the Tollan's High Chancellor Travell." Said Jack.  
"I have been having an eerie apprehensive feeling. Almost as though we were being watched." Dani said.  
"Tell Daniel he is now ordered not to let you out of his sight. If you have any more weird dreams, you tell me, got it?" Jack ordered.  
"Yes, sir." Dani said, turning off the cell phone and flopping back onto her pillow. She explained the situation to Daniel, and they started packing. When she finished, Dani went to take a nap. Maybe her dreams would yield an answer or two.  
  
"NO!" Dani screamed. "Stop! I'll do anything you ask! Please don't!"  
Daniel ran to the bedroom and shook her in an attempt to wake her. She did eventually wake up, fighting to control her heartbeat.  
"Daniel, we have to get back.now." Dani said, smoothing her hair with a quivering hand.  
"What did you see?" Daniel asked.  
"It was terrible. Sam and the High Chancellor are in some big trouble if we don't hurry." Dani said.  
"Who's holding them? Are they together?" Daniel continued.  
"A woman. There.there was fire everywhere. It was so hot-almost smoldering. Tell the Tok'ra not to get involved yet." Dani finished.  
"Why? Martouf is going to be furious." Daniel asked.  
"He's going to be dead if he doesn't listen to me!" Dani almost shouted. Daniel nodded and kissed her head before the two left their cabin retreat and headed back to the SGC.  
"What's going on?" Dani asked, as she and Daniel arrived in the conference room.  
"Dr. Jackson tells us that you wish us not to be involved." Said a distinctly alien voice before her.  
"Hello, Selmac. I did not say it that way and I'm sorry that you took it as such, but if my instincts are correct, an attack now could be disastrous." Said Dani.  
"What makes you so sure of your instincts?" Selmac prodded.  
"Dr. Jackson is capable of prophetic dreams. She used such a dream to save Daniel Jackson's life." Said Teal'c. Selmac's head tipped to his chest for a moment and his host was able to speak.  
"Okay, which of you is Dr. Jackson?" Jacob Carter asked.  
"We both are." Dani and Daniel said simultaneously. Momentarily, SG- 1 had to smile. Having two Dr. Jacksons was going to be interesting.  
"Forgive us, Jacob, we were just married two days ago." Said Daniel.  
"I see." Said Jacob. He was still mildly irritated but the meeting went on. "And you say that you dreamed that Sam and Chancellor Travell are in danger?"  
"I knew that Sam and the Chancellor had gone missing, but I had no idea to what extent the danger was when I fell asleep." Dani said.  
"And what extent is that, Mrs. Jackson?" Jacob pursued, trying the patience of everyone present.  
"Doctor Jackson, and I believe that if the desired effect is not achieved by a previously specified deadline, they will be tortured and/or killed." Dani said.  
"So, what are we saying?" asked Colonel O'Neill.  
"We're saying that we need to know exactly what this little fiasco was intended to do and what is expected of the parties involved. I can sense that things are already tense." Dani said. "We need to know the deadline, and what will happen if the desired effect is not accomplished."  
  
"So, what you're saying is, someone needs to go in undercover." Said a voice. The people in the room turned to see Martouf standing in the doorway.  
"Martouf, what are you doing here?" Asked Selmac.  
"That's my fiancée out there-I'm not just going to sit and do nothing." He said.  
"We care about Sam too, Martouf. We just don't need you going out there and getting killed before we can figure out what to do here." A voice said.  
"What are you suggesting we do, Narim?" asked General Hammond. Narim was one of Tollana's highest ranking officials, and a dear friend to SG-1. They had been expecting him.  
"Jack, Daniel and I will go. We don't know what we're dealing with, and we don't need any surprises." Dani said.  
"Do you think that's wise? With an enemy that's out there collecting women?" Jack commented.  
"I have a plan." Dani said.  
  
Chancellor Travell screamed mercilessly as her captor lashed out with a whip and it licked a trail of fire across her bare back.  
"Now, you will tell me what I want to know." A voice as alien as her looks purred.  
"Never." Travell growled through her clenched teeth. The pain was unimaginable, and the blood had all rushed from her arms, making them tingle. The tall, lithe brunette widened her brown eyes. This being amused her. The Chancellor was smaller in stature than she was; yet her endurance and determination were admirable.  
"Leave her alone. She isn't the one you want." Sam spat from behind them.  
"Major, don't." Travell pleaded.  
"You would rather pick on a defenseless woman older than you? Fight someone your own equal." Sam challenged.  
"Foolish creature. You would challenge Nurrti?" She asked, turning to Sam. Sam pressed herself against the bars of her cell, coming face to face with Nurrti.  
"Just you and me. No weapons, no words. Woman to woman." Sam said.  
"You yourself have naquada in your blood. You cannot use a hand weapon?" Nurrti teased.  
"Let me out and we'll see." Sam said. Cautiously, Nurrti opened the cell, curious as to why Sam would challenge her. The two circled one another like lionesses about to do battle over prey. Sam picked up a hand weapon and slipped the cool metal over her hand and wrist. It felt foreign to wear it, but she was ready to fight.  
Nurrti began the battle with a well-placed blast from her weapon. Sam reacted by bringing her own weapon up to chest level. It worked. In her instinctive move, Sam made the weapon create a force field around her. Her confidence bolstered, Sam looked at Nurrti, a renewed sense of purpose about her. If Nurrti wanted a fight, she was going to get one.  
  
The ring transporter in the room down the hall set into motion and three people materialized in the center of the room. Daniel, Danielle, and Jack looked briefly around the room, waiting to be ambushed. When they realized that the coast was clear, they looked around the room, listening for signs of life. There had been a ring transporter near the place where that had last detected Sam's signal.  
They heard the weapons blasts and took off cautiously down the hall. They had a sneaking suspicion that Sam was not the kind of woman to take being kidnapped lightly. Therefore the weapons fire didn't surprise them.  
  
They could hear the High Chancellor's voice as they came closer, finally locating the room they were being kept in. Jack peered around the corner and watched the battle, being careful not to alert Sam or Nurrti to his presence.  
The three members of SG-1 were stunned. They hadn't seen a look like that on Sam's face since the Entity had taken control of her body so long ago. Nurrti was smiling in amusement. Sam had been able to land one or two shots, but she was still getting used to the hand weapon. It was not clear who would win if the team were to leave them be. Daniel, taking a position on the other side of the door, aimed his zat gun at the Goa'uld woman. He would have to be especially careful. The way the two were hovering around one another, there would be a severe reckoning if he hit the wrong woman.  
Dani peeked around the corner, looking to see if she could find the Chancellor. When she spotted her, she, Jack, Daniel and Teal'c exchanged sign language as they planned what they would do.  
While Jack and Daniel plotted, Dani slipped into the room toward the helpless Chancellor. She was nearly to the Chancellor when she heard gunshot outside the room. Just as planned, both women bolted, each of them thinking that the other's plan was about to be ruined. Sam took advantage of Nurrti's distraction and landed a weapon blast nearly point-blank into Nurrti's back. When she fell and didn't get back up, Sam dropped her weapon and ran to the door. She had seen a flash of green and suspected that the others had attempted her rescue. Seeing Jack, she smiled momentarily.  
"Everything under control, Carter?" Jack asked. Sam nodded and turned to see Dani helping Chancellor Travell down from her position on the slave cross. It wasn't a cross in the Christian sense of the word. It was more of an X shape, and there were shackles hanging from it from which to secure a prisoner. Travell was badly hurt, and her back was still bleeding when Sam got to them.  
"Sam, there's someone else here." Dani said, looking around the room uneasily.  
"Are you sure you're not just feeling Nurrti?" Sam asked, helping to hold the Chancellor on her feet.  
"I don't know. Is there someone from Tollana waiting for us back home?" Dani asked.  
"Narim had things to attend to but wanted to be kept posted. How did you know that?" Sam answered.  
"I don't know. It was just.intuition." Dani answered. " I still feel someone else here but I can't tell who." Dani said as they began to head for the door. Suddenly, a rustling made Dani whirl around and pull her zat from its place at her waist. She turned just in time to see Martouf standing over Nurrti. His own weapon bared, he was preparing to finish her. Sam had taken the Chancellor to the ring system and ran back to cover Dani. She got there in time to see Nurrti suddenly jump from the floor and throw Martouf across the room. Before Dani or Sam could get a clean shot, Nurrti had her weapon nearly touching Martouf's head as unnatural energy coursed through his veins. He screamed, blinded by the pain that the hand weapons caused. Dani extended her arm to shoot and Sam stopped her.  
"You don't have a clean shot! You could hit the cross and ricochet!" Sam warned.  
"If I don't do something, Sam, the man you're planning to marry will die!" Dani shouted back. She aimed the weapon again and this time, she fired. The shot penetrated the slave cross and mortally wounded the adversary. Both she and Martouf fell to the ground. SG-1 ran to them, pulling Martouf out of the line of Jack's P90.  
"Martouf!" Sam cried, cradling him in her lap.  
"Samantha?" he murmured.  
"Yes, I'm here." She answered. "Martouf, why did you come?"  
"I.I couldn't leave you here. Nurrti would have killed you." Martouf said, fighting the darkness invading his eyes.  
"But the others came, Martouf. They could have helped me, you didn't have to do this." She continued.  
"I.I didn't want you.to think I wasn't brave enough to save you, Samantha. I fail.failed Jolinar.I didn't want to fail you."  
Sam wept unchecked tears. Martouf couldn't possibly have saved Jolinar and she knew it. Still, he felt he had been a failure.  
"I need to tell you something, Samantha." Martouf said.  
"Anything." Sam said. The whole team was now gathered around them.  
"I need to thank you." He said, still stalling getting to what he really wanted to say.  
"For what?" Sam asked.  
"Thank you for loving me.my Samantha. Don't be afraid.I'll always be in your heart." Martouf said, taking his last breath. Dani stood, resting a hand on Sam's shoulder.  
"Take as long as you need. We'll go back to the rings and get a gurney to take him back through the gate with us." Dani said, tears of her own dropping from her pomegranate cheeks. As soon as the team left the room, they could hear Sam doubling over Martouf's body, as she held it tightly in her arms, and the sounds of her heartbroken sobs of mourning. Dani couldn't help but cry too as Daniel shepherded her toward the rings.  
"Daniel?" Dani said as they neared the gate.  
"What is it, angel?" Daniel answered.  
"Don't you ever do that to me. I swear, I'll lie down and die beside you." Dani swore.  
"I love you, too, precious." Daniel said, hugging her close and kissing her head.  
  
When they had returned to Earth, a very disappointed General Hammond awaited them. He had told Martouf about Dani's prophecy, and he had ignored it. He was not willing to let this go. Beside him stood the stalwart presence of Jacob Carter. Jacob knew that Martouf was in over his head, but he simply wouldn't listen, and now he and Selmac's greatest fear had been confirmed. Dani had been right-a Tok'ra had been killed on this mission, but the Chancellor of Tollana was safe and now recovering in the infirmary, and now there was the dilemma of finding out why Nurrti wanted the Tollan to start a war with Earth and vice versa.  
"SG-1 managed to secure Nurrti's body. If somehow her symbiote lived, we may be able to get some information from her." said General Hammond.  
"No." Said Dani.  
"I beg your pardon?" General Hammond said.  
"She'll never talk. It's not in her nature. She knows that she's too valuable to us alive for us to kill her." Dani replied.  
"Then how do you propose we get her to talk?" Jack asked.  
"Let me try. Teal'c, come with me." Dani ordered, walking out of the room.  
  
"What do you intend to do?" General Hammond asked, following her down the hall.  
"Well, General, call it a hunch, call it instinct, but I think I can.well, it's probably best if I just show you." Dani said, rounding the corner.  
They had been right-Nurrti's symbiote had lived, and she was beginning to heal. Dani stood over Nurrti and told her to wake up. The sultry villainess gave SG-1's second civilian archaeologist a defiant look.  
"Dani, I'm not sure that this is the right time." Dr. Fraiser began, but General Hammond rested a hand on her arm.  
"It's okay, Doctor." He said.  
"What is it you wish to know?" Nurrti purred. Dani only stared intently at her.  
"Dr. Jackson?" General Hammond began.  
"Patience, please General." Dani replied, not shifting her gaze from the Goa'uld system lord before her. Suddenly, Nurrti reacted in pain. Doctor Fraiser lunged for them, and Dani once again held them back.  
"It's okay, Janet." Dani said.  
"Get out of my mind!" Nurrti screamed.  
"War.between the Tau'ri and the Tollan would.draw the other system lords." Dani began.  
"STOP!" Nurrti shouted.  
"She would have been able to destroy a number of them.she has an army in waiting not far from here.My God, General!" Dani gasped.  
" What do you see?" Daniel said, walking into the infirmary.  
"What she was doing to the Chancellor and Sam was to get the location of the control mechanisms of the ion cannons." Dani said, beginning to shake.  
"What for?" General Hammond demanded.  
".She would have blown Tollana clear to kingdom come." Dani said, turning to the General, "And then she would have come after us."  
As soon as Dani's concentration was released from her, Nurrti collapsed back into unconsciousness and Dani passed out from her exertions.  
  
A little later, Daniel was standing over his wife, lightly running a hand over her face when she awoke.  
"What's happening?" Dani asked, obviously weakened.  
"Well, we found out that my wife is a national treasure." Daniel said, a momentary smile lighting his features.  
"Whuh.what do you mean?" Dani asked, blinking hard and reaching for her glasses.  
Daniel handed her the spectacles as he answered her. "You're a mind reader, honey. You read Nurrti's mind."  
"Where's the Chancellor?" Dani asked.  
"I'm right here, Doctor Jackson." Said a familiarly stately voice.  
"High Chancellor, good to see you back on your feet." Dani said, grasping her hand.  
"I owe you a debt of gratitude. You've saved my people and me. Now, it's our turn." She replied.  
"What do you mean?" Daniel asked.  
"Right now, Tollan forces are aiding the Tau'ri in creating a joint defensive plan. We have an enemy right where we want her. We should take advantage of it." Travell said.  
"Thank you, Travell." Dani said, gently. Daniel could only stare as the highest-ranking officer of Tollana gave his wife a lovely smile and patted her hand before leaving the room.  
"What was that all about?" Daniel asked.  
"I'll tell you some other time. Can we go home? I don't think you and I ever exchanged gifts." Dani said, sitting up.  
"I'll go see if Janet will clear you." Daniel said, kissing her lightly on the lips.  
"Thanks, honey." She said.  
  
"It's good to be home." Dani said, putting the last of her things away once they had gotten home. They still had a few wedding presents from friends to open and send thank yous for. But there was one gift that Daniel was eager to see.  
"Dani, honey, did we ever exchange gifts?" Daniel asked.  
"No, we didn't, did we?" Dani replied, making a fast break for their bedroom. She returned with the large frame that she had been working on weeks before the wedding. Daniel slowly pulled the cover off and sat back in awe. Dani had drawn them. A gentle breeze swept at her hair, and their arms were securely wrapped around one another. There was an air of calm around them and a quilt draped over their legs. The posture was sleepy-two exhausted people snuggling up on the couch after a long day.  
"Dani." Daniel stammered. She had drawn them from the night that they had thrown the party and fallen asleep on the couch. "How did you do this? Was it your telepathy?"  
"Actually, no. Sam snapped a picture of us while we were asleep. She said it was so adorable she couldn't resist. See how well our friends know us? They knew we were destined for each other from the start." Dani said, allowing Daniel to place the portrait carefully on the coffee table before she kissed him.  
"Here. This one's for you." Daniel said, handing Dani a small box.  
"Another alien jeweler?" Dani teased. Daniel smiled at her gentle ribbing.  
"No, not this time." He said. Dani opened the box and was stunned at what she found. Inside was a book written in an ancient language. She lightly fingered the words.  
"The Bible." Dani whispered.  
"You've always told me how much you wanted a Bible written in Aramaic, so I talked a few scribes on P7X-654 into hand-writing me a copy of my people's Scriptures in their language. They were more than happy to oblige. I never told them that it was a wedding gift for my wife but it was fun to see them get so excited. I've been working on this for months.I had to translate the New Testament myself because, well, they didn't exactly speak Greek and the New Testament was originally in Greek, right?" Daniel didn't have the opportunity to finish the story. It was the most meaningful thing anyone had ever done for her. Dani ended Daniel's sentence by pulling his face to hers and sealing their exchange of gifts with a lingering kiss.  
"So that's what you spent all those long nights at the base doing? You were copying the New Testament?" Dani said, still in a little shock over the overwhelming work that went into the hand-written, hand-finished work of literature in her hands. Jesus Christ spoke Aramaic, and Daniel knew that that was the driving force behind her desire to have such a book. Dani's faith ran deeper than anything about her, and it only made Daniel more proud of her. They spent a peaceful night, not knowing what was happening at the SGC at that very moment.  
  
"Unidentified traveler!" the intercom shouted all over the base.  
They couldn't catch her even if they wanted to. They couldn't see her. She had managed to get her hands on her invisibility device, and escaped in a glimmer of a faint outline passing through the Stargate.  
Early that morning, Dani awoke in a cold sweat.  
"What's wrong, honey?" Daniel asked, pushing his glasses onto his face.  
"Nurrti's gone!" She stammered, still catching her breath.  
  
***END PART 3!! *** 


	4. How The Heart Can Change

"How the Heart Can Change"  
  
Part 4 of the "Waiting for the Day" Series  
  
**The Gate room**  
"Thank you, in advance, for your help, High Chancellor. You and your people are welcome here any time." General Hammond said, looking his captivating guest in the eyes.  
"Thank you, General, I will have to remember that." Chancellor Travell replied politely. It was no secret on the base that the General and Chancellor had disappeared for a stretch of time.alone. As she proceeded through the shimmering event horizon with her escorts, SG-1 looked at their General.  
"Had a good time, General?" Jack quipped. As the other members of SG- 1 snickered and fought not to laugh, Dani ribbed Jack.  
"I beg your pardon, Colonel?" he said innocently.  
"I think what the Colonel is trying to say is that 'bashful beige' is really not your shade, Uncle George." Dani said gently, she herself trying hard not to laugh at the shade of his lips.  
"What's that supposed to mean? Hey! Come back here! That's an order!" General Hammond called after then as they made a fast break for the commissary.  
  
It was late evening by now, and SG-1 was slowing down and unwinding from the long day.  
"What do the two of you have planned for tonight?" Sam asked Dani and Daniel. Daniel's face gained a delighted smirk as he leaned over to his wife's ear. Very softly he whispered and their teammates laughed as Dani's face began to blush. She swallowed what was in her mouth and gently admonished her husband.  
"Honey, stop that!" she said, smiling brightly.  
"You don't agree?" he teased.  
"I do. And I have news for you, mister, I have more than one idea for you, too." She replied.  
"Oh really?" he said back. Dani leaned over to his ear and whispered to him. When she finished, she very lightly nipped his ear. SG-1 roared as Daniel turned a few shades of his own and Dr. Fraiser joined them.  
What's going on over here?" Janet asked.  
"Daniel and Dani are planning the night's entertainment." Jack quipped. Sam belted him across the ribs and he laughed as he shrank back out of her reach. The team laughed with him.  
"Do you really think that there's something going on between General Hammond and High Chancellor Travell?" asked Sam.  
"Ya think?" Dani said, making Jack's head turn in surprise. "Unless he's cross dressing in his spare time, I don't ever remember him wearing lipstick."  
"I think Dani has been spending too many missions with Colonel O'Neill." Said Janet, crunching down on the carrot in her hand.  
"I must concur." Said Teal'c. The team laughed and talked and soon parted to return home. Dani inherently knew that they were not going to get much sleep that night and they didn't mean the way that they whispered about at the supper table.  
  
"No!.Someone, please, help me! My. Oh God, no!" Daniel cried out in his sleep. Suddenly turning involuntarily, he startled his peacefully sleeping wife from her rest.   
  
"Daniel?" Dani muttered. Still chasing the sleep from her eyes, Dani sat up to wake him. She didn't have a chance to though, because seconds later he sat straight up in bed crying out again, "No!" Sweat dotted Daniel's face, and his breathing was heavy and labored.   
  
"Honey, are you okay? Look at me, Daniel." Dani murmured, flicking a lamp on, which threw soft incandescent light over the two sleepy people in the room. "You had that dream again, didn't you?"  
  
Daniel had been having a recurring dream for the past few nights dealing with the tragic death of his parents in that museum. Dani knew that Daniel was still hurting from it, and that the pain may never go away. She knew this especially well considering the violent end her own parents met so many years ago.   
  
Dani was an only child, and was a very happy, well cared for little girl. When she was 10, her mother announced that she was expecting another child. In their happiness, the family planned a short vacation to celebrate the announcement of their newest family member.   
  
Her father was an air force man, and her mother was a well-respected theology professor at the local university. These allowed Dani's parents to take time off fairly easily for the event. They planned to drive to Grand Teton National Park, a place that Dani was excited to see. Her mother had told her so much about how beautiful it was. Tragedy is the last thing that anyone expects on a family vacation, and this was no exception, but this was something no one should have to see.  
  
They were on the freeway, and a black car was coming up fast behind them. Her dad had tried to evade the erratic driver, but it was plain that he was aiming for the young family. They were rammed from behind, causing them to veer off the road and roll down into the ditch. The whole family had lost consciousness, and Dani awoke to her father shouting for her to wake up. Dani's seatbelt had been jammed in the crash, and her father had been able to move just enough to loosen it for her. His leg was pinned in near the pedals, and looking back, Dani supposed that it was broken. As soon as Dani could get out of her seatbelt, her father ordered her to run.  
  
"Dad, no!" Dani wailed, starting to cry. Her wrist had been broken in the crash.  
  
"Danielle Marie, I am ordering you to get out of this car!" her father yelled.  
  
"I'm not one of your soldiers!" she screamed back, her tears falling in torrents now.  
  
"Danielle, mom and I need you to be safe. Get out of the car!" her father had said more gently.   
  
"I love you!" Dani cried as she reluctantly used her throbbing wrist to pry herself out of the car. "I love you!"  
  
She kept screaming it as she ran for the median. When she looked back, the image of what was to happen would haunt her for the rest of her life. Dani heard a bang and then the car exploded, engulfing her parents and her unborn sibling in flames. Dani screamed at the top of her lungs, sobbing her fear, sadness and pain into the cool October air. After the accident, Dani had gone to live with her grandparents, and the accident, strangely enough, was never in the papers. Not even an obituary.  
  
Dani didn't know what was bringing on her husband's recurring dreams, but as an empath, she knew that this was tearing him apart inside, and thus, it was hurting her as well. Dani swept a concerned hand over Daniel's forehead and turned his head to meet his eyes before she lightly kissed his lips. In return, he reached around her to hold her. He was so glad he had married her. He had been dealing with these dreams for so long by himself that he was not used to having someone to share his life with. But he was so glad that he decided to learn. Dani was quite possibly the best thing that ever happened to him.  
  
"I'm so sorry, honey. I know that I keep waking you up." Daniel murmured.  
  
"It's okay, love. I know how much this must hurt for you." Dani replied, her eyes reflecting just how much she really did understand. The two shared a kiss that melted the falling snow before relaxing back into bed and back to sleep.  
  
The next day, at the SGC, SG-1 was briefed on their next mission. They had heard of a rogue Stargate team hiding out on a newly discovered planet and recovering ancient Goa'uld artifacts by the slave labor of two civilian archaeologists. Daniel shifted uneasily in his seat. He knew what it was like to be far from home without knowing if you would ever see your world again.   
  
SG-1's orders were to gate to the planet, halt the operation, confiscate any artifacts, and rescue the civilian archaeologists. Dani had a bad feeling about this mission, but it wasn't the first time. She had had these feeling times before and sometimes it was just over-reaction, and sometimes it was an instinct that managed to save the team from mortal danger. But mortal danger was part of her job, and for some reason, she didn't want it any other way. She liked working for the SGC and the opportunity it gave her to expand her archaeological horizons to include races and civilizations that she couldn't understand readily, and of course, since she has been at the SGC, she had met and married Daniel. Somewhere deep inside, she knew that this mission had something unusually linked to him. She wasn't sure what, but she could feel that inexorable pull of natural instinct that told her something was disturbingly familiar about this mission.  
  
"Please! Leave my wife alone! I can keep working if you want me to, but she's exhausted and she needs to rest!" cried out one of the archaeologists. The crack of a whip was his only answer. As the weapon snapped above them, the man threw his arms around his wife, guarding her from the impending danger.  
Later, the man pushed his glasses back onto his face by the bridge with his finger. His wife was fast asleep against his shoulder, more exhausted than they had been in years. They were not the spring chickens that they used to be. The man, his hair graying at the temples, had been searching this god-forsaken planet for artifacts that neither he nor his wife could identify for years. They spent a little time every day in prayer, begging for mercy from the Creator for their suffering. They wondered about what the world was like now. They hadn't seen their home since the accident in the museum. They wondered about their son, their only child, and what he had witnessed and wondered what he had grown up to become and which of them he looked like. Had he married? What had become of him after the accident? Would they ever see their family again? Surely not. Most people would have given them up for dead long ago.  
"Do you think we have grandchildren?" the wife wondered, a rare sparkle coming to her blue eyes.  
"Now, Claire, I don't think it's wise to get our hopes up." The man told his wife.  
"You've been saying that for years, Mel. For once, I want to hold onto something. I want to be able to hope for something!" Claire cried, beginning to cry like she had for so many nights before. Mel apologized.  
"I'm so sorry honey. I just.It's been so long, Claire. They're not looking for us anymore. I want something to hope for too, but I would rather hope that you and I find a way to get out of here and work that gate. It just sounds more realistic, that's all." Mel said.  
"Well, honey, I have to apologize too. I like being realistic. We're scientists. Logic is our lives.but you know what? Love is not logical. Faith is not logical, and neither is hope. We have to hope in things that we don't think are possible if we are ever to stay alive and get out of here." Claire said. Mel had to smile. He loved his wife when she was like this. She was so much more alive. There was a fire in her that he rarely saw anymore. Gently he beckoned, and Claire came back to their small bedroll in the corner of their cell. Satisfied once again just to have each other, Drs. Mel and Claire Jackson snuggled down together and fell asleep.  
  
"Dr. Jackson are you well?" Teal'c asked.  
"I'm fine, Teal'c." Said Daniel.  
"I was referring to your wife." Teal'c retorted.  
"Oh, you guys, I have the worst feeling about this mission." Dani replied.  
"What do you see?" Sam asked.  
"Empathic ability is not so much about 'seeing' things as it is about 'feeling' them. And the feelings I'm getting from this room are nothing short of chilling." Dani said. They had just stepped out onto the other side of the gate and the landscape was a telltale sign of what was to come.  
  
There was a swamp near the gate, and the smell was unbelievable. The sensations that Dani was getting were ones of fear, malice, and greed. She could sense that there had been at least five people through the gate in recent times. Dropping slowly to one knee, she touched the ground. Closing her eyes, she seemed to absorb the air around her.  
"There were five; two female, three male. One of the women was the leader of the group. Two came against their will. The others could have been guards. The leader has been back and forth through the gate. I can't tell why they came here. I can sense that there was something valuable but I can't tell you what." Dani said, standing up again and opening her eyes.  
  
"Okay," Said Colonel O'Neill, "We're looking at a possible System Lord here with two hostages. We already know that there is a rogue Stargate team involved, and that there are two civilian hostages. Do we know how long they've been here?"  
"Years. The rogue team only came on recently, but the hostage situation could be as old as 20 years. These people don't expect anyone to come looking for them. They would have given up hope long ago." Dani replied.  
"Which System Lord?" Asked Sam.  
"What does Jolinar tell you?" Dani asked, referring to Sam's blending with the Tok'ra Jolinar. Suddenly, Sam felt a twinge in the back of her head. In her mind's eye there was a flash, and she could tell who was here.  
"Nurrti!" Sam blurted out.  
"Let's go, folks, no time to waste." Said Jack, urging them onward.  
When they reached a clearing in the swamps and trees, they came upon what looked like an archaeological dig. The artifacts had been cleared out, like a professional had been through there with a fine toothed comb and there was evidence of frequent struggle.  
"Whatever or whoever we're looking for is in that cave." Jack said, taking a step out of the brush. But before he could lead his team into the area, there was a click behind his head. Jack froze. The whole team was surrounded by members of the rogue team, who immediately demanded surrender.  
Dani flashed her husband a desperate look. She could see in his eyes what he was thinking. She had read Nurrti's mind before, why can't she use her prowess to do something now?  
She wasn't sure. How far did her powers extend? All the confusion was getting to her and she began to feel a pain like a screeching in the center of her brain. Clutching her head, she concentrated on the other team, as if to somehow will the pain to leave her and go into them.  
"What the Hell are you doing?" one of the men screamed. He knew that there was no way SG-1 could be causing the throbbing pain in their heads, and they couldn't prove otherwise. The pain in Dani's head faded slowly, and she returned to awareness with the sensation that Daniel was clutching tightly to her shoulders to keep her from falling. Meanwhile, SG-1 had taken advantage of the distraction to disarm the rogue team and detain them.  
Not far from the scene, down in the belly of the cave, there was a blood-curdling scream. Nurrti knew about what had happened on the surface, and she was not happy. She thought that somehow the two archaeologists had summoned SG-1. He pulled Claire Jackson from her husband's embrace and bound her wrists. The guards held Mel Jackson as Nurrti secured Claire's hands to a high crevice in the rock. Mel screamed for Nurrti to stop; Claire didn't know anything and neither did he. The System Lord paid no attention and began to mercilessly whip the innocent woman. Every time Claire screamed, Mel would pull harder on the guards trying to get free. Down in the tunnels, Mel's acute hearing picked up the sound of running feet and the jangle of heavy weaponry. Could it be? Could they be saved?  
"Claire!" He screamed, fighting the tears in his eyes as hard as he fought the guards. Jack O' Neill heard the desperate cries of the archaeologists and commanded his team to cover him. SG-1 went in fast and hard, and the guards hit the ground. Daniel darted across the cave toward Claire. Before he could get to her, Nurrti fired her hand weapon at him, and the wide, gold beam of energy that flowed from it was concentrated on his head. He fought with all his might, but he was slowly weakening. This wasn't the first time he had been in this situation, but it was getting a bit old. Dani looked over from covering Jack's six and cried out, "Colonel!"  
"Go!" Jack shouted, allowing her to defend her husband. Dani turned her gun from the approaching guards and fired at Nurrti. Faster than Dani's bullets could be fired, the Goa'uld raised her force field, rendering her gun useless. In the transition from the weapon to the force field, Daniel was able to pull free and knock the wind out of Nurrti. The rest of SG-1 took the archaeologists and ran for the mouth of the cave while Jack and Teal'c planted C4 around the cave. Jack took one last look at Nurrti lying crumpled on the ground before he joined his team and pushed the magic button. The ensuing explosion rocked the landscape for miles. Nothing could have survived that. Not even Nurrti.  
It was getting late on this world, so SG-1 got ready to camp for the night before returning to Earth. The Jackson's were asleep before they could introduce themselves to SG-1, but the team didn't mind. There would be plenty of time for that tomorrow. Dani and Sam came back from the nearby freshwater stream where they had washed their faces and hands. Sam collapsed into her sleeping bag and murmured goodnight.  
Meanwhile, Dani snuggled into the double sleeping bag that she shared with Daniel. All they had to do was zip the two together. They whispered to each other in another language, thanking one another for saving the other, and then looking at their new friends.  
Dani muttered in Ancient Egyptian.  
Daniel replied.  
  
As Daniel and Dani snuggled into one another's arms and drifted off to sleep, Claire stirred and awoke. For once, she was not terrified for her life. She was in pain, and exhausted, but she was safe, and after about 20 years, on her way home. She looked over at the couple sleeping peacefully across camp. That face.how could he look so familiar? She watched the two for a moment. They caressed one another's faces and softly kissed for a minute. Then he pulled her closer to him and pulled the sleeping bag over her to keep her warm. Then he smiled as he pulled her glasses from her face and then took off his own as he relaxed back into his pillow.  
Claire's heart pounded. She could see now what was so familiar!  
"No.it's not possible! It.it can't be!" she stammered, waking her husband in the process of her rambling.  
"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up.  
"Look at him! Honey, he-"  
"Claire, I don't want you to start this." He said, interrupting her.  
"But Mel, what if-"  
"If it was him, he would have recognized us." He said, still remaining rationally calm.  
"Mel, how long has it been?" Claire said. "He wouldn't know us after this long! All he probably remembers is what he was told when he was a little boy!"  
By now, they had awakened the rest of the team.  
"Hey! Is there a problem, folks?" asked Jack, his customary sarcasm showing through in the early morning hours.  
"Yes." Said Dani, sliding out of the sleeping bag behind Daniel.  
"What are you talking about?" Asked Sam.  
"Tell them." Dani said, her piercing gaze staring down Claire.  
"Tell us what?" Daniel asked, folding his hands over his chest.  
"The NID kidnapped you 21 years ago, forcing you to work secret military installations in remote regions investigating strange relics. Then when the Stargate was discovered, you were shipped off-world with a rogue SG team." Dani began.  
"We were so proud of Dan.I mean, Dr. Jackson. We wondered how long it would take him to figure out the constellations and sequences. We already had a handful of the dialing chevrons figured out by the time the SGC discovered Abydos.  
"We were never paid. We were given meager lodging, food, and our lives, but that was about it. For all intents and purposes, we were dead. Anything we discovered was credited to the federal government. They would tell s things like 'just a few more days' or 'two more digs' and promised to release us, but as you already know, nothing we were promised was ever delivered." Claire said.  
"We were always asking about our son; our only child. He was there when the accident was staged. We really were knocked unconscious, but by the time the dust lifted, we were spirited away, and our son was most likely shipped off to a foster home or some filthy orphanage." Mel Continued.  
"We looked at you," Said Claire, looking pointedly at Daniel, " and something was so familiar. We couldn't see it until you took off your glasses.  
Daniel couldn't take his eyes off of the pair. He was searching for some resemblance, something that would trigger a memory. He looked in Claire's blue eyes and found his own.  
"Who are you?" Daniel muttered, his body beginning to shake. His eyes welled with tears and he took a step closer to her.  
Mel took a step forward and wrapped his hands around his wife's shoulders.  
"Our names are Melbourne and Claire. Drs. Melbourne and Claire Jackson."  
Sam nearly dropped her gun. Jack scratched his head and took a few steps closer to the group.  
"You mean to tell me that you two are Daniel's parents? Isn't that just a little suspicious?" Jack said, the CO in him showing through.  
"They're telling the truth, sir." Dani said. "I've been getting stronger and stronger vibes from them ever since we rescued them. They would have no reason to lie, Jack." Dani said.  
"It's impossible." Daniel said, turning away. "I watched both of you be crushed by that cover stone!"  
"Danny." Claire said, a tear dropping over her cheek. The phrase had been in Latin, and Claire had said it to a young Daniel every night when she tucked him in, no matter where in the world they were.  
"How could you know that? I've never told anyone about that-not even my own wife!" Daniel shouted at them.  
"It was our little secret. Something only you and I did. Like a password between mother and son." Claire said.  
"If I ever got lost in a crowd, all I had to do was shout it and you would be able to find me." Daniel said, finally looking at them again.  
Teal'c returned from doing his meditation and Sam quietly filled him in on the story.  
"Is that not impossible, Major Cater?" Teal'c asked.  
"Nothing is impossible, Teal'c. If it's one thing I've learned it's that nothing is impossible." Sam said.  
Daniel stepped forward and looked at the two people who professed to be his parents. Soon, his emotions got the best of him, and he began to cry again.  
"Momma?" He muttered. Claire gently stroked Daniel's face and nodded, sniffling back tears of her own.  
"Yes, Danny, it's me."  
It was then that Daniel was sure. Her touch, her voice, her tears, it was all coming back to him. This is the woman who brought him into the world. He threw his arms around her, nearly lifting her off the ground. Sobs wracked them both as mother and child were reunited. Mel pulled his family close. He wanted so much to encompass them both in his arms, but he couldn't. He nearly laughed. He hadn't counted on his son growing to be so tall! Daniel looked up, his eyes bright with tears, and opened an arm to pull his father into the embrace.  
Dani stood beside Sam and Teal'c and could only watch and cry. It was so surreal. Daniel's mother and father suddenly walking back into his life was like watching them rise from the dead, and her beloved husband was the weeping family of Lazarus who received their brother back by the redeeming Grace of the Savior.  
Suddenly, Daniel lifted his head from his parents' embrace. He walked away from them momentarily and reached for Dani's hand.  
"Mom, Dad, this is your daughter-in-law, my wife, Danielle." Daniel said, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. As if they had just met her, the elder Jacksons pulled the newest Jackson into their arms, sufficiently welcoming the woman into their family.  
The alarm over, SG-1 collapsed back into their bedrolls for the remaining three hours of the night. This time, Dani and Daniel moved across camp to be beside their guests. As soon as the girls were asleep, Daniel and his father whispered.  
"You've done well, son. I'm proud of you." Mel said, grasping Daniel's arm. Neither man could really move--both of their wives snuggled against them, but they were in relative enough proximity to one another to speak. Daniel rested his left hand over Dani's shoulder and back before he bent his head to kiss hers. She simply smiled and murmured that she loved him before drifting back to sleep.  
"She's beautiful, Daniel." Mel said, smiling at his son. He and Daniel talked forever about Shau'ri, the Stargate, aliens, life with his new wife, where she came from, and how she knew what Claire was thinking.  
"Dani is an empathic telepath, Dad." Daniel said.  
"She's a what?"  
"She can tell what people are feeling. She can read thoughts very little. The thoughts have to be pretty intense for her to be able to read them." Daniel replied.  
"Really?" Mel said with fascination.  
"If the two of you don't think I know what you're talking about, you're wrong." Dani muttered without opening her eyes. Mel laughed, and Daniel rolled his eyes. Dani lifted her head from Daniel's chest and opened her sleepy eyes.  
"Sam is like clockwork. She WILL be awake and ready to go home in an hour and forty-five minutes, and if you don't mind, I'd like to spend that last hour sleeping so I don't pass out during the debriefing." Dani said.  
"Not if I debrief you first." Daniel teased.  
"Is that sarcasm? You've been hanging out with Jack O'Neill too much. Besides, you don't have the balls to make love to me in front of your parents." Dani teased back.  
"Wanna prove it?" Daniel shot back. He was going to see just how far she was willing to be pushed.  
"Daniel, I can't believe you just said that!" Dani said, she wasn't about to be defeated. Mel had already bowed out of the conversation and rolled back over, cuddling his wife beside him. Meanwhile, the kids had switched languages-twice-from English to French to Latin and from the sounds of it, they were on their way to a fourth language that Mel hadn't heard before when Claire opened her eyes.  
"Do you suppose this is how they argue? Just keep escalating from one language to another until one of them gives up or forgets what they were arguing about in the race to switch languages?" Claire said. Mel laughed and took a deep breath before falling asleep, Claire soon behind him.  
  
The next day, SG-1 plus two headed back through the gate. As soon as all of them had cleared Dr. Fraiser's strict post-mission check-up, Daniel and Dani insisted that the elder Jacksons spend the night with them.  
"Are you sure?" Asked Claire.  
"We don't want to put you out." Said Mel.  
"Nonsense." Dani interjected.  
"We won't hear of you staying anywhere else." Daniel said.  
With that, the reunited Jackson family left the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. By the time they were all settled, it was going on 11pm and all of them were tired. Daniel and Dani snuggled down into their bed and held each other. They listened to the silence in the apartment as they began to drift off. Suddenly, a shouting match began in the apartment above them. Dani flinched when she heard the wife cry out in pain. Her husband was brutally abusive, but the young Jacksons had been warned long ago to stay out of it. Daniel had gone upstairs one night and asked if there was something wrong, but he returned with an earful of angry words and a warning to stay away and keep his wife away from him also. In his zeal to protect Dani, he made her promise, as much as it hurt, to stay away from the apartment upstairs. A tear dropped from Dani's eyes.  
"One of these days, he's going to kill her. You know that, Daniel?" Dani said.  
"I know, baby, but all we can do is call the police again, and they will deny it. She'll support him just to keep him from battering her again." Daniel replied.  
A piece of furniture crashed upstairs, and Dani and Daniel jumped.  
Shortly thereafter, Mel knocked softly on the door. He wanted to know what was going on. Dani and Daniel tried to gently explain what the problem was, and Mel shook his head.  
"Isn't there something we can do?" Mel asked.  
"Unfortunately no. We've done everything we can and we've been warned to stay away." Daniel said.  
"How long has this been happening?" Mel asked.  
"Years." Daniel replied.  
"Can you imagine? Their marriage must have started off so well. The heart changes so fast. Do they have any children?" Mel asked.  
"One. She's just a tiny baby. He screams if she cries. I can tell that the baby is learning to be afraid and be quiet when he yells. The second she cries, he yells for her to shut up or tells the wife to shut her up. The baby has been quieting down when he starts to shout. That baby will learn to speak late because of him." Dani said.  
The three decided to go back to sleep as best they could. Dani moved a little too fast and their mattress springs squeaked. The old woman who lived below them used her broomstick to pound on their floor. If she even heard the slightest sound, she would pound with her broomstick and scream at them to go back to sleep, shame them for being so promiscuous, or tell them to get a room. All things considered, this was their room. Poor Dani was at her wits end and began to cry. She had a few choice words for both of their neighbors but she couldn't bring herself to say them. She was beginning to feel sick and wasn't sure why, but at that point, she could think of doing nothing else but standing in the middle of her bedroom and crying.  
"Daniel, I can't live like this anymore!" Dani wailed, sitting down hard on the bed. Daniel seemed to panic. He wasn't sure just what was wrong, and he wasn't exactly sure what he could do to help.  
"I'm so tired of dealing with them! I don't want to come home from another exhausting mission just wanting to crawl into bed and hold you and not be able to make love because of her and not be able to sleep because of them! It's not fair! Daniel, when was the last time we made love?" Dani continued to cry, her tears spilling in torrents over her cheeks.  
Daniel was flabbergasted. He didn't know. A couple weeks at the very least. Maybe a month. He found his voice a moment later.  
"How long have you been feeling like this? Physically, I mean?" Daniel asked, gently massaging his bride's shoulders.  
"Why?" She whimpered.  
"Because I think you should go and see Janet tomorrow if it doesn't improve." Daniel said softly.  
"I know what's wrong." Dani said after a short silence, throwing her husband for a loop again. "I just realized it. Daniel, I'm pregnant."  
  
Suddenly, Daniel was so stunned he didn't know what to do with himself. He gingerly reached around Dani's waist and rested his hands on her abdomen. Dani leaned back in his arms and seconds later, it was Daniel's turn to cry.  
"I'm.I'm going to be a father? For real?" Daniel stammered. Dani nodded. He seemed mystified by the possibility that there was really another tiny little person growing inside his petite, 5'3" wife. Daniel suddenly got an idea.  
"Honey, jump on the bed with me." He whispered.  
"What?" Dani hissed.  
"You heard me. Let's teach this bag a lesson." Daniel muttered, fumbling to his knees. Inspired by her husband's new confidence, Dani took his hand and prepared to jump.  
"Promise me one thing?" She asked.  
"Anything."  
"Make love to me when we're done."  
"Is that safe?"  
"Oh, yeah." She murmured, kissing Daniel's lips. "One, two, three."  
Their laughter echoed down the hall. Daniel's parents shook their heads. They could tell that Dani and Daniel were jumping on the bed to avenge their lost sleep, but they didn't yet know about the baby.  
The lady downstairs went nuts. She banged so hard that Dani and Daniel thought that the plaster would come off of her ceiling. Daniel and Dani had never laughed so hard. Afterwards, Daniel kept his word, further aggravating the neighbor downstairs, but at least the upstairs couple had stopped their fighting.  
Finally asleep, Daniel answered the phone the next morning and told the General personally that they would be late.  
"Is everything all right, Dr. Jackson?" General Hammond asked.  
"Um, we've been having trouble with the neighbors and we've been up half the night. On top of that, um, we think Dani.I mean, that Mrs. Dr. Jackson is.well.expecting-sir." Daniel stuttered.  
"Well, I'll make sure that Dr. Fraiser takes a look at her when you get here. Your next mission briefing is at 01300. Do you think you can handle that?" Hammond teased. Daniel smiled.  
"Yes sir."  
"Congratulations, kids."  
  
End of Part 4! 


	5. So Blessed an Existence

The "Waiting for the Day" Series  
  
Chapter 5-"So Blessed an Existence"  
  
"Daniel?" Dani called.  
"What is it, honey?" Daniel said, walking back to his desk from the shelves of artifacts in the back of the room.  
"What are we going to name this little tyke when it arrives?" Dani asked. They had opted not to know the sex of their unborn child, and the months had flown by for them. Dani was eight months and counting, and it looked like she was carrying more of a basketball beneath her loose-fitting fatigues than an unborn baby.  
"We still haven't talked about it yet, have we?" Daniel said, sitting back down at his desk.  
"You have been awfully busy," Dani reminded him. SG-1 had been going on short survey missions without her, as she was relegated to desk-duty. No one knew what the repercussions of Stargate travel during pregnancy were, and Daniel wasn't willing to let his wife be the first one to find out.  
"Do you think that she'll be telepathic like her momma?" Daniel asked.  
"She? Are you that sure that we're having a girl?" Dani teased, sitting back and resting a hand on her belly.  
"Well, I hope we're having a girl. I kind of like girls names that start with M," said Daniel.  
"Like what?" Dani asked.  
"Well, Madison, Marissa, Michaela, and Madeline came to mind," Said Daniel.  
"I like Madeline and Madison, but what if it's a boy?" Dani asked.  
"Joseph, Nicholas, and Michael."  
"When I thought of names, I thought of naming a girl Renée, Claire, after your mother, or Shari.for Shau'ri," Dani said. Daniel smiled lightly. He was glad that he had married this woman. She was not just his soul mate; she was his link to a world he would probably never see again unless there was a dire emergency. He was glad she was being so kind with Shau'ri's memory. Dani had even done a small drawing of Shau'ri that they had framed and placed on the wall with other pictures of their families.  
"A boy I would name Mathew, Paul, Ethan, or Collin," Said Dani.  
"Hmm, I like Collin, it's derived from Nicholas. I also like Renée. How does this sound: Collin Michael for a boy, and Renée Claire for a girl?" Daniel suggested.  
"Those are beautiful. I'm going to write that down. I have two of my own to add: Madison Kay for a girl and Mathew Joseph for a boy. There, now we have plenty of names for our little one," Dani said as she patted her middle lightly and the baby kicked. Daniel smiled and lightly kissed his wife.  
"I can't wait to be a mom," she murmured.  
  
Meanwhile, far away, a top-secret discussion was taking place at the White House.  
"The United States hasn't needed telepathic spies since the Cold War. What makes you think that this is necessary?"  
"Think about it, Mr. President. If we can figure out how the brains of these telepathic people work, then we can, forgive the term, manufacture telepathic soldiers who can read the thoughts of their teammates and commanders and anticipate the reactions of their enemies. We know that we will never be given permission to study Dr. Jackson, but if we can utilize their child."  
"You're asking me for permission to perform risky medical experimentation on an infant and I won't give it to you, not for the sake of science, not for the military, not for anyone. End of Discussion, Harry, do you understand?"  
".Yes, Mr. President."  
From there, Colonel Harry Maybourne went to his 'friends' in Black Ops. He was convinced that this was for the good of all and that certain sacrifices were tolerable in this situation. There was a lot of work to do before the plan could be executed.  
  
It wasn't until a month later that Daniel insisted that Dani stay at home.  
"I won't get any work done here!" Dani pouted.  
"You shouldn't be working," said Daniel, "You're bearing my child." Dani smiled. She loved it when Daniel said things like that.  
"Okay, you win," She said. Daniel stroked her cheek and she leaned into the warmth of his touch.  
"I love you, Mrs. Jackson," he whispered.  
"That's Dr. Jackson to you, mister," Dani teased back. Daniel grinned. He kissed her forehead and was rewarded as their baby kicked lightly at its mother's belly. He was beginning to relax. He was getting used to the fact that he was going to be a daddy, and that everything was going to be okay. He had been worried at first that Dani might be in danger because of her telepathy. Who knows what might happen if someone was to find out and word got to the military. It was entirely possible that she could be kidnapped and subjected to the same experiments that Sam was when the government found out that she had been a Tok'ra host. This was a little different, though. Dani was a telepath. Who knew what they could do if they were able to somehow harvest her brain cells and use them to try and make other people telepathic.  
Somehow, Daniel was sure that she would be all right. He kissed her one more time, and was gone. An hour later, Dani decided it was time for a nap. She had vacuumed their living room and made their bed and for some reason, that felt like a lot of work. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed into the softness of her pillow and dozed off. She didn't even here the sound of the apartment door being slowly opened.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay, Daniel?" Sam asked later that day. He and the rest of SG-1 had been back from their short mission for hours and the Space Monkey was still staring off into the wild blue yonder.  
"Yeah, Sam, I'm fine. It's just that, well, I'm not used to not having Dani around," Daniel answered.  
"Yeah, it's hard to believe we ever got along without her, huh?" Sam replied. Lightly, she kissed Daniel's head and left the office he shared with Dani and Teal'c. Sam couldn't wait until Dani and Daniel's baby was born. They wouldn't tell anyone the names they had picked out, so the whole base was wondering what clever name they had picked out to match their own names. There wasn't much that they could match when both of their names were along the same idea. As Sam was leaving the office to retreat to her own, Jack was walking slowly in front of the large storefront window of a pet store. Hmmm. This new little tyke in his life was going to need a dog.  
  
Back at Daniel and Dani's apartment, a group of men, about five of them, crept on silent feet through the house until they found Dani. Slowly, they placed a cloth over her mouth and nose and held it there. Dani woke up and began to panic on the next breath. She reached for the hand that held the cloth down but another pair of hands was just finishing binding her hands together. The rest of the men helped the first two in hoisting Dani from her bed to the floor, where one of them produced a small med-kit and prepared a syringe. Dani fought with renewed vehemence. Any foreign chemical in her body could potentially harm her baby, and she was beginning to get very dizzy and weak. The man kneeling near her feet was pulling her jeans and panties off. She didn't know what was happening and was terrified beyond anything she had feared before. She wanted to fight harder, but she feared also that she herself might hurt her baby. There wasn't a sound in the room, save Dani's struggling whimpers and grunts. The man near her feet held her legs with help from another man, and now the count of people in the room was up to five. The injection was placed not into her womb, but closer to the uterine muscle that causes.  
Dani gasped as a sudden wave of pain jerked at her abdominal muscles. They were harder and came faster than she had been taught that they would be, and she was beginning to have trouble keeping her eyes open. She was beginning to cry when the next stabbing pain began and held on for longer. She tried to scream, but it was no use, she had been gagged now, and minutes later, her water broke. The baby was crowning, and now she had no choice but to push. As soon as the baby's head and shoulders were out, the man who had administered the injection, who had been serving as Dani's 'midwife', gently coaxed the baby the rest of the way from its mother's womb and forced it to cry before he cut the cord and cleaned the baby as best he could with the water and blankets they had with them. As they prepared to leave, one of the men renewed the chloroform on the cloth and removed the gag to place it on her face again. Staring into her eyes as she lost consciousness, he said, "Forgive me, Dr. Jackson." Dani's tears ran in streams down her face as her eyes dropped helplessly shut. The men slipped out the door just as quietly as they had come, taking the Jacksons' newborn baby with them. No one saw them as they piled into a van and sped away, nearly clipping a small car as it left the parking lot. Daniel's parents had left for the day to go apartment hunting, so Daniel was sure he and Dani were in for a quiet night to themselves that night: just him, Dani, and the baby.  
Daniel opened the door shortly after lunch and dropped his light spring jacket and briefcase on the couch.  
"Honey!" he called. No answer. Was she still asleep? That was unusual. Dani was eating enough for all three of them lately, and it was not like her to skip a meal so close to her due date. He rounded the corner to go down the hall to their room and saw the door open. Which was nothing unusual, but the next thing he saw would haunt him for the rest of his life nearly as badly as seeing his parents 'killed', nearly as badly as watching Shau'ri die.his wife Dani, lying on the floor near their bed unconscious and in a small pool of her own blood.  
"Danielle!" Daniel shouted, "Danielle, talk to me!" He rested a hand over her belly to feel for the baby like the doctor had shown them. He felt nothing. Not a desperate kick for help, not an uncomfortable shifting feeling. No, this was much worse.he felt nothing at all. Dani was pale and her skin was cool to the touch, but she had a pulse. Thank the gods she was alive!!  
  
"Daniel, what happened?" Dr. Fraiser demanded when Daniel rushed his wife back to the base.  
"I don't know! I found her lying on the floor in a pool of blood!" Daniel said as Janet began working. As soon as Dani's life signs had stabilized, she did an ultrasound to check on the baby.  
"Oh, my God," Janet gasped.  
"What is it?" asked Sam, who was standing nearby. She, Jack and Daniel came closer.  
"The baby is gone!"  
  
"There didn't appear to be any signs of forced entry and no signs of a struggle." Said Daniel as he and the rest of SG-1 congregated in the conference room.  
"Who would want to harm Dr. Jackson's child?" asked Teal'c.  
"That's a good question. Let me make a few phone calls. I have a feeling that a 'friend' of ours is involved in this or knows who is." Said Jack. The group broke up and returned to their respective offices. All of them, that is, except General Hammond. He meandered slowly down to the infirmary to see Dani.  
"Hi, sugar," he said softly when she opened her eyes.  
"I know." Dani muttered. The general was confused.  
"I know what happened to me." Dani said. Tears poured down her cheeks.  
"Talk to me." Hammond said, pulling up a chair beside her. Daniel had returned to his office for something and must have been sidetracked, because he had not yet returned when his wife had awakened. Dani took a breath and began her story. She told the general about how she had laid down for a nap and woke to find five men in their apartment. She told him about the injection and her forced labor. She told him about how the last man had held the cloth over her face again and what he had said, just before Dani was out. The general fought to control his emotions. This was not just another civilian on his base. This was a member of his bravest and most powerful team. This was also his niece, his sister's daughter. His sister was dead, but George had felt the need to take on the role of a father figure for Dani, even though she had grown up with her grandparents.  
  
"We'll find them, Dani. Don't you worry," Hammond said after a long silence. Dani shook her head.  
"No, Uncle George. I don't care about them. Find my baby. I don't even know if it was a boy or a girl. Please, Uncle George, don't concentrate on those scum, find my baby!" Dani wept. Hammond promised and kissed his niece's hand as her husband hurried back into the infirmary. Janet had called him and told him that Dani was awake. When he got there, Hammond was just leaving, and Dani began to cry harder.  
"I'm sorry, Daniel! I'm so sorry, honey!" she sobbed.  
"No, no, honey, what can you ever be sorry about?" Daniel murmured.  
"I couldn't do it.I couldn't protect our baby!" She wailed.  
"Oh, God, no, honey, no. No, this could never have been your fault! Do you hear me? This was not your fault!" Daniel insisted. The two sat and cried for what felt like hours before Janet wandered over to them.  
"I thought that maybe you would like to know what sex the baby was. I mean, now that it's born." She said gently. Daniel nodded and took the folder with the ultrasound pictures in it. Slowly, he looked inside. Reading for a moment, he sat back, tears streaking his face.  
"We have a daughter.Honey, we have a little girl!" Daniel cried, folding his wife into his arms again and sobbing right along with her. This was ripping them apart, and there was nothing they could do.  
"What's it going to be, honey, Renée or Madison?" Dani began.  
"Renée," Daniel said, nodding to her. "Her name is Renée Claire," Daniel said. Dani let her tears flow unchecked, and Daniel held his wife close as Janet wrote the name down.  
"Renée Claire Jackson it is. Congratulations you two. We'll find that baby. We'll find her I have to go out there and take her back myself," Janet promised.  
  
Jack had never been so angry. Well, okay, he had been that angry before, he noted to himself. But each and every time he got this angry it was about a child. It was the kind of anger that made him decide to break the regs. The kind of anger that made him risk his fabulous career in the armed forces for one little girl. With a smile he remembered when he had met Cassie, Marin, David, and other children that SG-1 had rescued over the years.  
"Why would anyone want this baby so bad that they would be willing to risk taking it right from its mother's womb?" asked Jack. He stared restlessly at Teal'c. Teal'c has a child of his own. Wouldn't it stand to reason that out of all of them, he would be the most likely to understand?  
"Could it not be that someone believes that the child may be in possession of the same powers as its mother?" Teal'c replied.  
"That's pretty much a given, Teal'c," Daniel said, walking into the office.  
"How's Dani doing?" asked Jack. Daniel nodded slowly before opening his mouth to answer, "She'll be fine. She wants the baby back and frankly, if a hair on my baby girl's head is hurt, someone is going to pay."  
"Congratulations, Daniel; on your little girl that is. Well, that and your already acute paternal instinct," Jack said. For the first time all day, Daniel smiled: His little girl. It made him all the more determined to find baby Renée.  
  
"SG-1 you have a go." Said General Hammond, watching as SG-1 didn't even wait for him to finish his sentence before embarking on their mission. This time, they wouldn't even need the Stargate.  
"What are we looking at here, Jack?" Asked Daniel.  
"Abandoned hospital in Quebec. Hammond pulled a few strings and found out that the feds know about Dani and her powers. They think that people could be simply 'fixed' with the ability of telepathy," Jack answered.  
"They think that they could use genetic manipulation to create super- soldiers that can read the thoughts of their enemies and superiors. They knew that they would never get permission to experiment on you, Dani; you could refuse. But a helpless baby." Sam couldn't even finish the sentence. She couldn't stand the thought of Dani and Daniel's innocent newborn at the hands of men who could easily sleep at night if they let that baby die.  
  
"Wait a minute, there's no anesthetic here; no crash cart." Said Colonel Maybourne, turning his head from the baby in the bare incubator nearby to stare at the three scientists in the room in disbelief.  
"It's too dangerous to place an infant that small under anesthesia. It may die before we."  
"This was your idea, Colonel. Are you backing out? This could be our one chance to change the course of military history. You want to be a part of that, don't you?" asked one of the scientists.  
"This isn't exactly an orphaned or abandoned child, gentlemen. If she dies."  
"If it dies, then someone gets to explain to the parents that their child sacrificed their life for the sake of the furthering of medical science," said another of the scientists. Maybourne's face ran white. What had he done? When the men left the room to prepare for the procedure, Maybourne stood over the plain, plexiglass incubator and lightly fingered the cool, smooth surface. Baby Renée turned her head and looked at him. Her eyes searched the room wildly, searching for anything familiar, even a smell. She saw Maybourne and her tear-streaked little face momentarily quieted. She stared at him, mystified that there was another person paying attention to her. Maybourne's heart nearly broke. Maybourne went to a supply closet and found a white blanket. He opened the incubator and gently pulled the monitors from the baby's tiny body. He wrapped her in the blanket, careful to conceal her face. He told the scientists that the baby had died.  
"Are you certain?" asked one of them.  
"I watched an innocent child die from lack of attention. Kids do that, you know. If they aren't shown love, they die because they have nothing to live for," Maybourne said.  
"And how do you know this?" asked the second man.  
"Because I watched it happen before."  
The men asked no more questions. Maybourne took the infant with him and drove. He didn't care where, he didn't care how fast, he just cared that he was, for once, doing the right thing. He stopped for a moment at a convenience store to pick up essential things, and found himself talking to the infant.  
"I wonder what your name is. Have the Jacksons named you yet? What would be a good name to go with Daniel and Danielle?" he pondered this as he pressed on down the highway. During one stop, a friendly motorist gave them directions and she asked if she could hold the baby for a moment. Maybourne uneasily agreed.  
"Fatherhood new to you?" she asked candidly. He nodded. The baby seemed to like this woman.  
"She's beautiful. What's her name?" the woman asked.  
"She doesn't have one officially yet. The adoptive parents are waiting to see her." Maybourne said. The woman nodded in understanding. She handed the baby back to him and continued on her way. Maybourne noticed that the woman was still wearing her uniform from work, and her nametag read: DANAE.  
"What do you think of that one, little one? Do you like the name Danae?" The baby just sighed and struggled to snuggle down into the blanket a little more. Maybourne chuckled. "Well, until you have another name, Danae you shall be. Danae Rachel."  
  
When SG-1 arrived at the old hospital, it was as deserted, and for good reason. It was in flames, and the team stood in confused shock at the scene. Dani wasn't sure she could stand much longer. Her legs were turning to rubber, and she could no longer feel anything from the neck down. She stared into the flames as it licked the sides of the building and shattered the windows. She fought the urge to scream her baby's name, for whatever good it would do, as pale, horrid, mother's fear ran like white lightning in her veins. Daniel did his best to hold her, shield her from the heat and flying debris. There was nothing to be done, and Jack shepherded the team back to their car. Daniel and Dani were silent for the trip back. They stared blankly into space or at one another, searching for reason in the mess of it all.  
The 'official' report blamed the fire on an electrical fault, but Daniel and Dani knew better. Their baby was gone, and there was nothing that could be done.  
Jack settled into his office and picked up the phone. There was only one person he knew that could shed light on this situation: Harry Maybourne.  
"What do you know about this, Harry?" Jack asked.  
"I made a big mistake, Jack. I need your help. Will they let me in at the base?" Maybourne asked.  
"Yeah. What do you know, Maybourne?" Jack reiterated. Finally getting irritated, Maybourne fired back, " I know that I have a baby in this vehicle with me that needs her mother. Are you going to let me in or not?" Jack, stunned, stuttered his agreement and hung up the phone. He decided to tell only General Hammond, and do the honors of bring Maybourne's sorry butt in himself.  
  
When Maybourne arrived at the base, Jack met him at the security checkpoint.  
"Hand over the baby, Maybourne," Jack ordered.  
"No. I want to do it myself. I'm the one who brought her back," Maybourne answered.  
"Maybourne, don't make me get my nail gun. Give me the baby," Jack ordered. Maybourne got as close to Jack as he could with the baby in his arms before answering, "I lead the black ops team that pulled this baby from her mother's body a week and a half before her due day. I watched as I nearly surrendered her to men that didn't care whether she lived or died. I cared for this child on the way here. I named her. Let me make up for my mistake, Jack. Please." Maybourne asked. Jack slowly stepped out of the way, following Maybourne closely as they walked down the hall. Jack suddenly stopped him.  
"You said you named her. What did you call her, just out of curiosity?" Jack asked.  
"Danae Rachel." Maybourne replied. Jack lightly nodded. Maybourne returned the question, "Why, what did Daniel and Dani name her?"  
"Her name is Renée. Renée Claire Jackson." Jack said. Maybourne rearranged his grip on the baby. She gurgled a bit and shifted in his arms. Jack watched how Maybourne handled the baby. He had to admit, just to himself, that he was impressed. He directed Maybourne to continue, and stopped him again, just short of Dani and Daniel's office.  
"Let me go first," Jack said. Maybourne nodded. Lightly, Jack knocked on the door. He could hear Dani sobbing. He could see through the little window in the door that Daniel was holding her. Both were too stunned to speak. Maybourne looked at Jack.  
"That hospital in Quebec was torched. It was still burning when we got there. We didn't know what to think," Jack said solemnly, "I know what it's like to lose a child. What you've done is crueler than if you had killed them both. I hope you know that."  
When Daniel finally called for whoever had knocked to come in, Jack entered first. Daniel looked up as Jack approached, not even attempting to guard the pain in his gaze. He searched Jack for understanding and found it. Jack gently touched Dani's shoulder.  
"Maybourne is here," Jack announced, "and he has something to tell you." For the first time since the attack, Dani lifted her head.  
"What could that monster have to say to me that would matter at a time like this?" Dani asked. Maybourne stepped forward into the room and spoke: "I came to beg for your forgiveness, Dr. Jackson. Both of you. You see, I made the biggest mistake of my life last week. I willingly endangered an innocent child to suit my own ends." He didn't even get to start the next sentence before Dani's voice rose from her downcast face.  
"Willingly endangered? Is that what you told your superiors that that was? You made sure that there wasn't a trace of that experiment left to trace. You murdered another person's child and you call that 'willingly endangered'?" Dani growled. Maybourne was speechless. Baby Renée fussed moments later before Daniel could add his own comments. Daniel's head shot up. He saw the bundle in Maybourne's arms, and suddenly, it clicked. That's why Maybourne was here. That's why he was apologizing. Daniel slowly released his grip on his wife and rose, crossing the room to where Maybourne stood. Daniel fought to hold back tears as he took the baby from the Colonel's arms, holding her and lightly kissing her head, face and hands. When Daniel didn't return to her, Dani looked up and awestruck, she took the baby from Daniel's arms. Sudden release washed over her. Dani began to sob again, holding the baby close. Intuitively, she knew that this was Renée, her Renée, and she gasped for breath in between sobs as if a lead weight had been lifted from her chest.  
Daniel kissed his wife's head, gently wiping a few of her tears before walking back over to Maybourne. Daniel looked to Jack, who was making himself useful by sitting down near Dani and extending an arm around her, efficiently taking Daniel's place for a moment and indicating to Daniel that he posed no obstruction to the retaliation that he knew was coming. Daniel looked back at Maybourne, who was peeking around Daniel to look at the baby and wound up. Maybourne didn't even see what hit him. Or maybe he did, because Daniel's right hook laid Maybourne out flat on the floor. He then knelt next to the groaning Colonel and firmly grasped his uniform jacket.  
"If you ever.ever come near my family again, Maybourne, I will not hesitate to take more.aggressive measures. I'm not military, Maybourne, you can't get me court-martialed, and I have my connections to people who can make your life miserable." Daniel growled. Maybourne picked himself up off the ground, fingering his jaw. He glanced at Jack and Dani. Dani had calmed her sobbing and forced her breathing back to some normalcy when Maybourne spoke.  
"Be a good girl, Danae. It's been a pleasure," Maybourne said as he turned to leave. He didn't put up his usual defense. He didn't ask Daniel if this was any way to treat the man who saved his daughter, he didn't say anything. He simply left, and for the first time in his life he was satisfied with that. He had done the right thing.  
Jack followed him out to the hall and said, "Maybe you want to go have Janet Fraiser take a look at that jaw. Daniel's really not the wimp we make him out to be."  
"I noticed, and thank you, Jack, but no, I have to get going. I'm due back in DC soon. I'm facing a review board," Maybourne said, injury evident in his voice.  
"I'll make sure that Daniel and Dani know what you did. It may not matter to them right away, but I promise, I'll make sure that they know. I may even make a well placed call to DC before I leave work today." Jack said, "Now, why don't you let me escort you to the infirmary." Maybourne conceded and Jack led him away.  
  
Later that afternoon, after Maybourne had left, Jack returned to Daniel and Dani's office. Teal'c had joined them, and Sam was on her way in the door when Jack came into sight. He heard the sound of Teal'c's voice and listened as the Jaffa told stories of his own child. Jack wished he had a camera as he rounded the corner of the doorframe and saw Teal'c holding baby Renée. Arms that usually embodied such power were now an instrument of gentleness as the giant of a man held the tiny infant.  
"Maybourne is on his way back to DC," Jack said.  
"Good. I hope they transfer his ass to Siberia or something," Sam said.  
"Actually, there's a lot you don't know about this. Maybourne saved Renée's life," Jack said. He watched his friends' faces change instantaneously. He told them what Maybourne had said: about how he had changed his mind and kidnapped the baby, how he had cared for her and named her, and how he mustered all his courage to face Dani and Daniel and return their baby to them.  
"What did Maybourne name her?" Dani asked.  
"Danae Rachel."  
"So that's why he called her that before he left!" Daniel said.  
"You know, honey, today is actually my due date and Janet hasn't had a chance to finish filing the birth certificate. I like the name Danae: it matches ours! We can call her Danae Claire instead of Renée. What do you think, honey?" Dani asked. She expected a little friction considering how Daniel felt about this, but Dani felt that this would be a fitting restitution for the risk that Maybourne took to save the baby's life. Daniel momentarily hesitated. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of giving his child a name that Maybourne had chosen, but it did have a ring of fairness to it. He did save her life. The name was nice, too. Daniel, Danielle, and Danae. Hmmm. Maybe it did work. Daniel agreed and the baby's name was changed to Danae Claire Jackson.  
  
Jack's well-meaning phone call didn't work. Maybourne was already a felon no matter what he did. He could have saved a major rainforest from destruction and no one would have cared. He was ordered not to execute that mission in the first place, and he was promptly sent back to prison-no review, no trial, no parole.  
Dani and Daniel took their baby home. Thrilled for their family to finally be complete, the Jacksons thanked their lucky stars that night. They felt so blessed to be in this life. It put a lot of things in perspective. Daniel felt complete. He had his parents back, he had a beautiful wife, and now, a baby girl to call his own. How perfectly blessed indeed. 


End file.
